Key Takeaways
United Food Bank distributed free pet food with groceries at its July 10 Neighbor Pantry event in Mesa, with PetSmart Charities supplying the pet food as the food bank reports a record number of people seeking help.
More than 113 Feeding America food banks now offer pet food, and PetSmart Charities has donated over 30 million pounds through the partnership since 2019.
PetSmart Charities research estimates 30 million pets face hunger every year, and Arizona food bank demand is surging as SNAP benefits in the state fall.
At United Food Bank's regular distribution in Mesa on Friday morning, the grocery bags came with something extra, pet food. PetSmart Charities joined the twice-monthly Neighbor Pantry event to hand out food for dogs and cats alongside the produce and canned goods, ABC15 reported, and the food bank says it is seeing a record number of people coming for help.
The national program behind a local table
The Mesa event is one edge of a much bigger operation. PetSmart Charities started by piloting pet food handouts with a small Arizona pantry, then called Feeding America to scale the idea, and more than 113 of the network's food banks now offer pet food along with groceries and household essentials. Since 2019 the nonprofit has donated more than 30 million pounds of pet food through the partnership, and its research estimates 30 million pets face hunger every year. The logic is about keeping families whole. Helping families feed their pets "helps ensure pets stay in homes where they're loved and out of shelters," PetSmart Charities president Aimee Gilbreath said when the effort launched.
Demand keeps climbing
The record line in Mesa tracks a statewide squeeze. Arizona's Family reported in June that SNAP benefits in the state have fallen 51 percent year over year while food bank demand surges. When a household budget snaps, pet food is often the first line item to go, and shelters absorb the fallout as families surrender animals they can no longer feed. Food banks keep proving they are infrastructure, the same network that cut hospitalizations 14 percent in the largest food as medicine study and that received nine of Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's $26 million in gifts. Now that infrastructure feeds the whole household, including the dog.
People Also Ask
Do food banks give out pet food?
Yes. More than 113 Feeding America member food banks distribute donated pet food alongside groceries through a national partnership with PetSmart Charities. Availability varies by location, so check with your local food bank.
How does the PetSmart Charities and Feeding America partnership work?
PetSmart Charities donates pet food to Feeding America food banks, which distribute it to families during regular food pickups. The program has moved more than 30 million pounds of pet food since 2019.
Where can Arizona families get free pet food?
United Food Bank hands out groceries, and now pet food supplied by PetSmart Charities, at its Neighbor Pantry events at the Mesa Volunteer Center at 358 E. Javelina Ave., held twice a month from 8 to 10 a.m.
Why is food bank demand at record levels in 2026?
Food banks point to rising food and household costs alongside shrinking federal help. In Arizona, SNAP benefits have fallen 51 percent year over year, according to Arizona's Family, pushing more households toward food banks.