With the help of some star power, Long Beach welcomed its first pet food pantry for those who are homeless but still need to care for their four-legged companions.
Singer John Legend helped cut the ribbon and offered a performance at a ceremony Friday at the city’s Multi-Service Center in West Long Beach, where homeless individuals can now access free pet food during operating hours.
Legend, founder of the pet food brand Kismet, is a supporter of Project Street Vet, which provides free medical care to animals in need, and the nonprofit’s founder Kwane Stewart, who was named CNN Hero of the Year in 2023.
Stewart is spearheading the effort to provide both medical care and food to dogs and cats that are owned by unhoused individuals. He said Friday he opened his first pantry on Skid Row in Los Angeles “and it was so successful I wanted to do more of it.”
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“This work has meant everything to me,” he said. “It’s been my calling, really.”
Legend said that too often, homeless individuals are seen as eyesores or a nuisance. “But they’re human beings who need love and care and all the help we can give them,” he said.
Pets provide critical companionship to those on the street, and many people are reluctant to seek shelter if they can’t bring their animals, said Paul Duncan, manager of the city’s Homeless Services Bureau.
The city’s ABC shelter in North Long Beach now allows pets and even had a Great Dane living there for a time.
The Multi-Service Center is open Monday to Wednesday and Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., and 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Thursdays. It is at 1301 W. 12th St.