Meet Renee Carleton of The Pet Food Bank in Santa Ana

Today we’d like to introduce you to Renee Carleton.

Renee, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I started as a volunteer with a rescue organization in San Fernando Valley. Every day was a struggle to just keep our head above water. We were always searching for food, and all the other items needed to care for the dogs. Many times, we did not have the money to pay the monthly expenses just to exist. I began to collect food and supplies in the back of my car. Every day the amount of food and supplies began to grow. Not only did we feed our rescue, but we were able to help many others in need. What grew out of the back of my car 20 years ago, is today a food bank that supplies over 2 million pounds of food and supplies a year. Now we are able to also help local human charities and military families with much needed toiletries, cleaners and baby items. We also help over 300 animal rescues in nationally and in Mexico.

Has it been a smooth road?
Initially, for the first 5 yrs…it was only me and my car. As it began to grow, I needed vehicles that could handle the increase in food I was receiving. I had to borrow trucks to move the items. Plus, I was paying all the costs out of pocket. I began to run out of money. Thankfully a local newspaper heard about what I was doing and the article brought some help. Enough money to help, some volunteers, and a truck and forklift to handle the volume of food I was receiving. Last year we lost our lease to a 130% increase in rent. So we are in a temporary warehouse situation now. Hopefully we can find a permanent home to house our food bank. So now the largest struggle is money to pay the higher rents of warehouse space.

So let’s switch gears a bit and go into The Pet Food Bank story. Tell us more about the business.
We are a non-profit organization that supplies over 300 no kill animal rescues with food and supplies. We help the people that are saving the lives of animals in need. We distribute pet food, cleaners, crates, leases, kennels, washers, dryers…. whatever they need to help lessen their burden. So they can focus on helping the animals. We make sure the food goes to the people helping animals, Not to kill shelters.

We are proud to be the first pet food bank, and the largest. All done with 100% volunteer staff. We are national and service Mexico also.

Our organization also supplies many necessary items to human charities as well. Weekly, we send items to the Marines at Camp Pendleton, the VA in Long Beach, and school and senior programs. Items like food, drinks and snacks. Laundry soap, dish soap, and baby items. School supplies to inner city programs. Wherever there is a need.

How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
The need is always there. Daily we receive requests from new rescues and charities looking for support. Hopefully we can grow our organization to meet those needs.

Contact Info:

• Website: Thepetfoodbank.com
• Facebook: Thepetfoodbank

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