Durham resident creates pet food pantry

A resident has collaborated with the Durham nonprofit Help Willy’s Friends to create a pet food pantry in her front yard where people can grab food or leave donations for others.

Lea Tomaszewski, who lives at 59 Highmeadow Lane, positioned a large deck container in her front yard with flyers from Help Willy’s Friends designating a new drop-off location for the organization. She hopes that when people drive by they will see it and either donate or take what they need, no questions asked.

Help Willy’s Friends is a volunteer-based operation that collects pet food donations and distributes it to animal shelters and pet food pantries in Connecticut. The organization’s drop-off locations are stationed in towns all over — usually at places like Petco — but now there’s one at Tomaszewski’s address.

Tomaszewski was inspired by her own dog, Tippi. She coins him the “impetus” of the collaboration.“He [Tippi] doesn’t want for anything, but I know there are a lot of dogs that do,” she said.

“I think that when funds are running short, they’re [pets] the first ones that go to the back of the line and a lot of people are having a hard time now... I’m sure there are pets in need all over,” she added.

Tomaszewski learned about the non-profit through a friend. ‘Help Willy’s Friends became an outlet for her desire to help animals in need. She contacted Mark Patruzo, the non-profit’s founder, and shared all of her ideas with him. Patruzo found Tomaszewski’s drive refreshing.

“Lea comes with a lot of enthusiasm… She’s full of energy and super gungho in helping our organization and it’s so refreshing, just to have someone helping us like that,” Patruzo said.