ARLINGTON, VA., February 5, 2026 — PetSmart Charities®, the leading funder of animal welfare in North America, has renewed its multi-year partnership with Meals on Wheels America to expand and strengthen pet assistance services for older adults and their companion animals nationwide. Building on six years of collaboration, this renewed investment will support the delivery of pet food, access to veterinary care, and other essential resources that help older adults and their pets remain healthy, nourished and together at home.
Since the start of the partnership, Meals on Wheels America and PetSmart Charities have helped deliver more than 17.6 million pet meals to older adults while supporting pet-owning seniors through integrated pet assistance services. Since 2020, the partnership has delivered nearly 3 million pounds of pet food to over 51,000 older adults across the country.
“Pets are often a senior’s closest companion, providing comfort, routine and connection,” said Aimee Gilbreath, president of PetSmart Charities. “Through our continued partnership with Meals on Wheels America, we’re proud to help remove barriers that can make it difficult for older adults to care for their pets, ensuring both people and pets receive the support they need to thrive.”
This renewed partnership aligns with Meals on Wheels America’s broader effort to End the Wait™, a national commitment to reach older adults who are waiting for services due to limited resources or service gaps. While the partnership has achieved significant growth and reach, both organizations recognize the continued need to expand access in communities across the country.
Through this next phase of the partnership, funding from PetSmart Charities will support the sustainability and expansion of pet assistance services nationwide, with a focus on prioritizing high-need communities, including areas with long waitlists, high poverty rates and rural populations. Over the next three years, the partnership will work to bring Meals on Wheels pet assistance programming to all 50 states. Pet food delivery services, gaps in underserved communities, and the development of practical pet wellness and care resources to support older adults and local providers will also be addressed. These efforts are designed to help ensure older adults and their pets can remain nourished, connected and safely at home.
“PetSmart Charities’ continued support strengthens our ability to End the Wait™ for older adults who need help to remain safely at home,” said Ellie Hollander, president and CEO of Meals on Wheels America. “For many seniors, a pet is family—providing comfort, routine and connection. Together, we’re removing barriers, expanding trusted pet programs nationwide, and ensuring older adults don’t have to choose between caring for themselves and caring for the furry companions who mean so much to them.”
For more information on Meals on Wheels America, visit www.mealsonwheelsamerica.org.
For more information on PetSmart Charities and its impact across North America, visit www.petsmartcharities.org.
###
ABOUT MEALS ON WHEELS AMERICA
Meals on Wheels America is the leadership organization supporting approximately 5,000 community-based providers across the country dedicated to addressing senior hunger and isolation. Powered by a trusted volunteer workforce, this network delivers a comprehensive solution that begins with a meal and is proven to enable independence and well-being through the additional benefits of tailored nutrition, social connection, safety and much more. Through public awareness, funding, programming, education, research and advocacy, Meals on Wheels America empowers local providers to strengthen their communities, one senior at a time. At a time when demand for Meals on Wheels services is growing, and many seniors are left waiting, Meals on Wheels America is dedicated to helping End the Wait™ and ensuring every senior who needs Meals on Wheels gets it. For more information, or to locate a Meals on Wheels provider near you, visit www.mealsonwheelsamerica.org. You can also find Meals on Wheels America on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Threads, Bluesky, TikTok and X.
Press Contact: press@mealsonwheelsamerica.org
ABOUT PETSMART CHARITIES®
PetSmart Charities® is committed to making the world a better place for pets and all who love them. Through its in-store adoption program in all PetSmart® stores across the U.S. and Puerto Rico, PetSmart Charities has helped 10 million pets connect with loving homes. PetSmart Charities also provides grant funding to support organizations that advocate and care for the well-being of all pets and their families. PetSmart Charities’ grants and efforts connect pets with loving homes through adoption, improve access to affordable veterinary care and support families in times of crisis with access to food, shelter and disaster relief. Each year, millions of generous supporters help pets in need by donating to PetSmart Charities directly at PetSmartCharities.org, while shopping at PetSmart.com, and by using the PIN pads at checkout registers inside PetSmart stores. In turn, PetSmart Charities efficiently uses more than 90 cents of every dollar donated to fulfill its role as the leading funder of animal welfare in North America, granting more than $600 million since its inception in 1994. Independent from PetSmart LLC, PetSmart Charities is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that has received the Four-Star Rating from Charity Navigator consecutively since 2003 – placing it among the top one percent of rated charities. To learn more, visit www.PetSmartCharities.org.
