Lunch Break executive director Gwen Love, left, with officials from the Monmouth County SPCA. (Photo courtesy of Monmouth County SPCA. Click to enlarge.)

Red Bank’s Lunch Break has teamed up with the Monmouth County SPCA to help feed the pets of local residents hard hit by the financial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Here’s a press release issued Tuesday by the two organizations:

A new partnership between the Monmouth County SPCA’s Pet Pantry and Lunch Break launched today in hopes of easing the burden of food scarcity during the COVID-19 crisis. Lunch Break’s Pantry Choice Program, which has distributed roughly 300 grab-and-go meals since March, continues to show a large increase in demand so the incorporation of pet food and supplies into the program was a seamless addition. The Monmouth County SPCA’s Pet Pantry was established after Hurricane Sandy and has become a critical program of the Monmouth County SPCA, serving hundreds of residents and distributing thousands of pounds of pet food per year to those in need. The merging of the two programs will create a “one stop shop” for families and their pets.

“If someone is coming to the MCSPCA because they are having a problem feeding their pet, it’s a good bet they are also having a problem feeding themselves or their family.” says Executive Director of the Monmouth County SPCA, Ross Licitra, who assisted in delivering the first truck-full of food at Lunch Break recently. Gwendolyn Love, Executive Director of Lunch Break says, “We see first-hand the hardship people experience even in supposedly a good economy to afford their basic need of food. When a crisis such as the COVID-19 virus touches so many more people by loss of jobs and hours cut the impact is even greater and our most vulnerable individuals and family pets can be at risk.”  Both organizations are grateful for the partnership as it benefits families and their beloved pets in Monmouth County and beyond.

The donations of pet food will be on ongoing relationship and will ensure that every family in need can provide for themselves and their pets. The Monmouth County SPCA will continue to deliver pet food weekly as Lunch Break offers their services 6 days per week to the public.

To learn more or support Lunch Break’s services: https://lunchbreak.org/our-programs/

To donate pet food to support the partnership, click here: https://a.co/8vr4dwH