Bartlett woman heads pet food drive

To help families in need keep their pets adequately fed, the Bartlett Police Department will be accepting donations of pet food and pet supplies 24 hours a day through Monday, Dec. 13, at 228 S. Main St., and Harper College in Palatine will be collecting through Thursday, Dec. 23.

In Bartlett, the pet food drive was organized for the second year by Bozena “Bo” Barda, a pet lover who has faced her own issues with unemployment and knows the stress it creates. The donations will be distributed through the Hanover Park and Wayne Township food pantries.

“I have spoken to pantries in the past and even though they get people food, they don't get any pet food,” said Barda, who has three dogs she adopted from shelters. “The more food we get, the more families we're going to be able to help. People are without food, but so are pets.”

While the biggest demand is for cat and dog food, unopened packages of food for guinea pigs, hamsters, birds and fish also are helpful.

“To give up an animal is very heartbreaking for the family and pet both,” Barda said. “An animal can be healthy for the family because of stress reduction, and also lowering your blood pressure.

“I'm a victim of this economy too, since the companies I worked for were purchased by foreign companies or went bankrupt, so I can't wait till corporations start hiring again,” said Barda, who currently works passing out food samples at Costco. “But in the meanwhile, I wanted to help make a difference for people and their animals.”

At Harper College, Jennifer Pitek's annual effort to help the homeless last year yielded nearly 700 canned food items, 180 pet toys, 64 leashes and collars and 111 pounds of dog treats.

Pitek, an administrative secretary in Harper's Center for New Students, launched the cats-and-dogs-specific drive eight years ago. She coordinates the drive with mathematics instructor Jamie Leinss. Donated items go to an assortment of other local and downstate shelters.

Donations will be accepted through Dec. 23 and again after Harper's campus reopens on Monday, Jan. 3. Drop boxes are at a variety of locations on campus, including the Center for New Students, Room C104 in Building C; the Building A main entrance; the Building L south entrance; and the first floor of the Harper Library.