20 Million Pet Meals and Counting: How Meals on Wheels and PetSmart Charities Keep Seniors and Pets Together

A Small Cat with a Big Impact

After a devastating cancer diagnosis left Lois hospitalized for eight months, she began receiving home-delivered meals through Senior Citizens Inc., her local Meals on Wheels provider in Savannah, Georgia. That connection proved to be a lifeline during her recovery.

“I couldn’t do anything for myself,” said Lois, who returned home from the hospital weighing 90 pounds. “When I was sick,” she added, “Meals on Wheels volunteers and the sanitation workers were the only company I had.”

Then a small stray kitten appeared outside her home. Lois named her Grace.

Today, Grace is a constant companion, spending most of her time curled in Lois’s lap or following her from room to room. She occasionally wanders onto the porch to sit in the sun by the flower pots, but rarely strays far from Lois’s side.

Like many older adults living on fixed incomes, however, Lois sometimes faces challenges caring for her feline friend. That’s where Meals on Wheels Loves Pets comes in.

Powered by PetSmart Charities, the program helps local Meals on Wheels providers deliver pet food and other pet support services to seniors in need. Earlier this year, Grace received the program’s 20 millionth pet meal — a milestone reflecting the growing reach of the partnership and its mission to help seniors and their pets stay healthy and together at home.

“Reaching 20 million pet meals is an extraordinary milestone, but what matters most is what each meal represents: one more senior who can care for the pet they love without sacrificing their own well-being,” said Aimee Gilbreath, president of PetSmart Charities. “We’re proud to stand alongside Meals on Wheels America to help make sure older adults like Lois have the support they need to stay nourished, connected and together with their pets at home.”

Caring for Seniors Means Caring for Their Pets

For seniors like Lois, pets create a powerful bond that brings comfort, companionship and a vital sense of connection. In fact, research conducted by Meals on Wheels America with support from PetSmart Charities found that 98% of Meals on Wheels clients with pets say their animals help them feel less lonely.¹

Yet many older adults struggle to afford pet food while covering their own expenses. Some even go without necessities themselves — from groceries to medical care — just to keep their pets healthy and fed.

Meals on Wheels Loves Pets helps ease that burden.

What began as an unlikely partnership has grown into a powerful collaboration, creating solutions to the complex challenges older adults and their beloved pets face. Since launching in 2020, the partnership has expanded pet services to 47 states and funded over 120 new, local pet programs nationwide.

In many communities, services go far beyond pet food deliveries. Depending on local needs, providers may also offer veterinary care assistance, pet supplies, grooming and emergency boarding. Today, more than half of new programs include expanded services.

The partnership has also strengthened collaborations between Meals on Wheels providers and animal welfare groups, building stronger local communities and ultimately serving more people and pets in need.

“What began as a simple idea — delivering pet food alongside meals for seniors — has grown into a nationwide model for supporting the whole family,” said Gilbreath. “By helping local providers expand services including food deliveries, veterinary care and supplies, Meals on Wheels Loves Pets is removing barriers in communities across the country and protecting the powerful bond between people and pets.”

A Future with Fewer Hard Choices

Meals on Wheels America and PetSmart Charities will continue expanding Meals on Wheels Loves Pets with the goal of providing pet services in all 50 states by 2028. The program will also continue to target more rural and high-need communities where older adults may face even greater barriers to care.

At the center of the work is a simple belief: no one should have to choose between caring for themselves and caring for the pet they love.

“Pets are more than companions — they’re family,” said Ellie Hollander, president and chief executive officer of Meals on Wheels America. “No older adult should have to choose between caring for themselves and caring for a beloved pet. This partnership helps seniors maintain the companionship, comfort and stability that pets provide while ensuring they can continue receiving the support they need to live safely and independently.”

Learn More About Our Partnership with PetSmart Charities.