Here, we rise up and take the power back. We unify and watch our flag ascend to support our neighbors.

On June 2, 2025, I created a video appeal for the Dr. John P. Ruffing VMD Pet Food Pantry – we were/are running low on pet food. By the end of the week,we had received 890 pounds of dry food and $970 in $$ and gift cards. Maybe a few straggling donations will come in […]

Update on Pet Food Pantry Drive. Fantastic momentum – we just need $30 and a little more pet food

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Sue Kerr (@pghlesbian)

‘Wild Blue Yonder’ Band Collecting Pet Food Donations at June 14 Concert

Our very first pet food drive of the season is hosted by local musical group ‘Wild Blue Yonder’ at their upcoming show in Dormont. We’ll be there with a table and info. You can bring donations with you or donate virtually. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Parking Pad (@parking.pad)

Pittsburgh’s Northside Pet Food Pantry Seeking Monthly Volunteers, Donations. Are You Willing to Drive Pet Food Distributions to Your Neighbors?

Immediate Need for 120 lbs or 24 five pound bags The Dr. John P. Ruffinng VMD pet food pantry needs some volunteers for specific driving tasks to remain open. The main one is a 20 minute commitment. We distribute to X amount of people each Sunday dividihng our total caretakers into different weeks. The pantry […]

Never Any Extra Food, Never Enough Food – When the Pet Food Pantry Says No

kitchen shelves with bgs and cartos of cat food

The Dr. John P. Ruffing VMD Pet Food Pantry team spent the weekend packing up non-food donations like beds, trees, bowls, towels, blankets, and so forth. That’s when we realized something problematic – we are going to run out of food at the end of May. We know you came through for us in February […]

The Pet Food Pantry Needs Paper Towels and Baby Wipes for Cat Colony Spring Cleaning

The Dr. John P. Ruffing VMD Pet Food Projects pet food pantry has been operating for six months. We have 40 active caretakers/households registered and 60 total. We typically give 11-15 pounds of dry and 20 cans of wet each month. We’ve also been working to get people connected with each other, especially neighbors. We’ve […]

How a Community Pet Food Pantry in Pittsburgh Joined the Resistance

We don’t know what lies ahead. We won’t give you platitudes about resiliency or inner strength or toughness even though we think those are true. What we can give you is reassurance that you are not alone. The Dr. John P. Ruffing VMD Pet Food Pantry supports neighbors taking care of animals – community cats, […]

Pet Food Pantry Registers Ten New Households

Pet Food Pantry Pittsburgh

Yesterday, we restocked the Dr. John P. Ruffing VMD Pet Food Pantry with recent donations and strategized on the January distribution. We continue to believe that inflation is impacting our pantry households and potential donors. We’ve added ten households – six members of the Newspaper Guild of Pittsburgh who are on strike from the Pittsburgh […]

Community Group Partners with Striking Post-Gazette Workers on Pet Food Drive

New Guild of Pittsburgh holiday logo

This wasn’t a difficult decision, I thought when considering if the Dr. John P. Ruffing Pet Food Pantry could help members of the the Guild facing their third holiday season on strike. Technically, it is month 26, the longest ongoing strike in the United States. Our pet food pantry was created to fill gaps in […]

Gertie Goes to the Garage

On Tuesday, Gertie refused to start. For first time readers, Gertie aka St. Gertrude is the Land Rover Defender a friend lent me. Because he could. On Wednesday, I called AAA. My service provider Josh was absolutely thrilled to see the “coolest vehicle I’ve ever serviced.” Sadly, Josh was unable to get her started and […]