After the devastating fire in a public housing building on Wellseley Street in Toronto on October 4, 2010 left over 1200 people displaced a call went out for donations, including pet food. Within 12 hours Project Maddie responded, bringing 300lbs of pet food to the Wellseley Community Center to assist displaced pet owners in caring for their pets.
Dogs had all been evacuated from the building and were in desperate need of food, while most cats had been left in the apartments at 200 Wellseley street where Toronto Animal Services was leaving food and water for the terrified felines.
Over the course of four days Project Maddie transported and delivered over 900lbs of cat and dog food from Oakville to the Wellseley Community Center, a temporary shelter set up for displaced residents. The majority of the cat food used by the OSPCA and Toronto Animal Services to provide food for cats still in the burned building waiting for their owners to return was supplied by Project Maddie.
"This is by far the largest scale relief effort we've ever coordinated" explains Project Maddie Director Kimberley Ford. "We were the first and only organization to mobilize and provide petfood for displaced pet owners as well as the cats still left in the 200 Wellseley Street building. I am extremely proud of what we accomplished.
Unfortunately, our efforts at the Wellseley Community Center completely depleted all of our resources. Our food supply has since been replenished but we no longer have funds to cover our operating costs, which are significant. Project Maddie is on the verge of total collapse. We rely entirely upon donations to carry out our mission of keeping people and pets together. We do not receive any corporate or government support. Without the support of members of our community our work is not possible, and if we cannot cover our operating costs that is the unfortunate reality we are currently faced with".
In order for Project Maddie to remain viable we must raise enough money to cover our operating costs. We have a very small window in which to do so, which presents an additional challenge. "A pet foodbank has long been a dream of mine," says Ford. "It's heartbreaking to consider we may have to pack it in so soon, especially when I know there are so many pet owners in our community who need assistance due to the current economic climate".
Donations can be made to Project Maddie's Community Account at the Royal Bank of Canada. Bank 003 Transit 03592 and Account Number 1006915
