Last week, close to 300 people filled Grand Oakwood Ballroom at Woodland Park in Portage in support of the Kibble Kitchen Pet Pantry, a non-profit that provides food and other assistance to low-income pet owners.
The Kibble Kitchen held its second annual Spay-ghetti and No Balls fundraising dinner on Nov. 3, which featured a three-course meal catered by Fazoli's, silent auction, raffles and a bake sale. Funds raised during the event will be used to help sponsor spay and neuter surgeries for reduced-income residents in Porter County.
"I would like to thank each and every one of our dedicated volunteers and supporters that helped make the dinner a success," Michelle Duca, founder of the Kibble Kitchen, said. "What took months to plan was done and over in four hours, but it raised funds that will allow us to continue helping those in need during the months ahead."
It has long been Duca's dream to establish an organization that would offer assistance to struggling pet owners in an effort to lower the number of pets surrendered to animal shelters. She believes it is unacceptable to have owners being forced to make the difficult decision to surrender their companion to an uncertain fate just because they have fallen on hard times.
"I look forward to a time when people don't have to ever consider making the choice between keeping a pet and keeping a home," she said. "Maybe it's too much to hope for in my lifetime, but I'd certainly like to move toward that outcome.”
The Kibble Kitchen was established in January 2011 to assist pet owners within Porter County facing financial hardship. The pantry has been hearing cries from neighboring counties for assistance, and is determined to expand in order to offer support. But with additional services being provided the need for more monetary and pet food donations will be needed.
The pantry is currently looking for additional donation collection sites as well as volunteers in Lake, Porter and LaPorte counties. For more information, email kibblekitchenvolunteers@hotmail.com or visit www.thekibblekitchen.com.