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Piedmont Senior Resources (PSR) has received a $2,500 Meals on Wheels Loves Pets grant through Meals on Wheels America, for its pet support program PSR’s Pet Love Program.

The funding was used to provide food and supplies for the pets of PSR’s home delivered meal clients, which can often be a financial and physical challenge for older adults to manage on their own. The funds have been spent.

“This grant is just another opportunity PSR staff have identified and captured for the benefit of our clients and region,” PSR CEO Justine Young said. “Nikki Dean, our nutrition program coordinator, takes a huge interest in her clients and their well-being. She has recognized the importance of pets in the overall health of our aging population.”

“This grant we applied for has allowed access to thousands of pounds of dog and cat food and cat litter to older adults across Amelia, Buckingham, Charlotte, Cumberland, Lunenburg, Nottoway and Prince Edward counties,” Dean said. “It’s so important to keep older adults with their beloved pets, especially when most of those older adults were socially isolated even before the COVID-19 pandemic hit, and now it’s become worse.”

Funding for this grant was made possible through a partnership with PetSmart Charities, part of Meals on Wheels America’s strategic effort to combat social isolation and loneliness among seniors across the country. This year, PetSmart Charities’ support allowed Meals on Wheels America to grant $354,500 to 98 Meals on Wheels programs through the Meals on Wheels Loves Pets initiative, which ensures that homebound seniors and their animal companions can live happy, healthy lives together.