Pallets of pet food are unloaded in Medicine Hat prior to Animal Food Bank's local launch. - SUBMITTED PHOTO
kking@medicinehatnews.com
Hatter Nicole Frey is continuing to expand the reach of her non-profit organization Animal Food Bank, both locally and throughout Canada.
Originally from Kelowna, Frey founded AFB in December of 2019. The organization, which provides pet food and supplies to individuals in need, has been steadily growing since its establishment with bases in several B.C. cities, Winnipeg and most recently, Medicine Hat.
“We launched our Medicine Hat branch Sept. 1,” Frey told the News. “We’re very excited.”
Frey says she and her team have been considering expanding to Medicine Hat since last year, but didn’t want to jeopardize existing local pet-focused non-profit organizations.
“We’ve been humming and hawing (over whether to open a branch in Medicine Hat) because there is a pet food bank operating here on a pick-up model. So, we’ve asked for only people who aren’t able to pick up to request through us.”
As well as delivering food to clients, Frey says her and her team hope to work collaboratively with other local organizations to secure specialized food items – like dietary or medicated foods – if needed, as well as share resources, if any organization’s supply stock runs low.
“We’ll also do our best to support rescues and all those other organizations, if we start encountering large donations that we can kind of share the wealth on.”
Not yet a week into operations, Frey says she’s unsure what level of demand exists in Medicine Hat but says she and the local volunteer team have a considerable supply of food at the ready, thanks to donations and transportation support from AFB partners.
“We had a huge donation come in from Mars Canada,” said Frey. “We had 40 pallets of food delivered into Kelowna. And then ACE Courier Service (sent) five pallets of food from that donation from Mars to us here. So now we have a bunch of food to be able to launch from.”
AFB does not currently have a Medicine Hat store front, but Frey dreams of one day opening such; just one of the many expansions she hopes to make in the next few years. Other expansions include the development of an AFB app, to help simplify and personalize client experience, and establishment of AFB branches in all Canadian provinces as well as the United States.
“This is like a passion project. And it’s important,” said Frey. “We’ve done a lot (for pets and their owners). We delivered 125,000 meals in the first half of 2022.”
Frey encourages any Medicine Hat pet owners in need of food or supplies to contact AFB at animalfoodbank.org/request-for-help.
She also invites Hatters to join the local volunteer team, which is currently in need of delivery drivers. More information can be found on the Animal Food Bank Volunteer Facebook page.
“I just want people to know that we’re here, whether they want to volunteer or they need help,” said Frey.
