PetSmart Charities, Meals on Wheels America Reach 20M Meals for Homebound Seniors, Pets

Meals on Wheels America, a leadership organization supporting community-based providers dedicated to addressing senior hunger and isolation, and PetSmart Charities have reached another major milestone in their partnership: 20 million pet meals delivered to homebound seniors and their animal companions nationwide — a 33% increase from 2025.

The milestone, just in time for Pet Appreciation Week (June 7-13), demonstrates the organizations’ shared commitment to keeping seniors and their animal companions together by supporting the delivery of pet food, access to veterinary care and other essential resources. The continued collaboration builds on Meals on Wheels America’s broader effort to End the Wait — a national commitment to reach older adults who are still waiting for services due to limited resources and growing demand.

The milestone 20 millionth pet meal was delivered to Lois, a Meals on Wheels client from Savannah, Georgia, and her cat, Grace. Lois, after returning from an eight-month stay in the hospital due to a devastating cancer diagnosis, faced feelings of loneliness and isolation that were only alleviated by visits from Meals on Wheels volunteers. When the cat appeared at her door, malnourished and alone, Lois named her Grace and found her lifeline. Today, through this partnership, Lois doesn’t have to choose between caring for herself and caring for her companion.

“Pets are more than companions — they’re family,” said Ellie Hollander, president and chief executive officer of Meals on Wheels America. “No older adult should have to choose between caring for themselves and caring for a beloved pet. This long-standing partnership helps seniors maintain the companionship, comfort and stability that pets provide while ensuring they can continue receiving the support they need to live safely and independently at home.”

Meals on Wheels America is proud of the continued impact this partnership has on older adults within the network. For six years, the generosity of PetSmart Charities has helped expand the reach of the Meals on Wheels Loves Pets program, allowing local Meals on Wheels providers to serve nutritious meals to both seniors and their pets in more regions while also broadening services to include access to veterinary care, grooming, emergency boarding and dog walking in many communities.

For homebound seniors like Lois, pets provide a vital source of social connection. In fact, according to a survey conducted by Meals on Wheels, 98% of Meals on Wheels clients with pets say their animals help them feel less lonely, leading to improvements in both mental and physical health. Yet seniors on fixed incomes often face an impossible choice: feed themselves or their pets. This partnership eliminates that burden. Caring for pets is just one of the ways Meals on Wheels providers are able to reduce health care utilization and costs, social isolation and loneliness and improve seniors’ ability to age in place, as well as their food security, diet quality and nutritional status.

“For older adults like Lois, pets are often sole sources of companionship,” said Aimee Gilbreath, president of PetSmart Charities. “Research conducted by our friends at Meals on Wheels America revealed that 97% of local recipients say support from the Meals on Wheels Loves Pets program makes it possible for them to keep their pets. That’s a meaningful impact on this investment in uplifting the human-animal bond that brings so much joy to both.”