Eastern Area Agency on Aging has gone to the dogs – and cats and birds and any other nonhuman companion that a senior may have.

As the nutrition program of EAAA, Meals for ME has always served noontime meals to older people in community dining rooms and to the frail and homebound through home delivery. The goal is to ensure that seniors have at least one well-balanced meal a day.

But now, realizing that man cannot live by bread alone and that pets are important to a senior’s well-being, Eastern Area Agency on Aging revived the Furry Friends Food Bank.

“We’re a nonprofit agency that’s dedicated to preserving the special bond between seniors and their pets by providing food and basic animal care supplies, at no cost, to those who need it,” said Rob Crone, director of nutrition at EAAA. “And sometimes older people have trouble keeping up with pet care, such as proper feeding. The goal is to help them, which we hope will allow them to keep their beloved pets longer.”

Crone never wants to hear of seniors having to give up their animals because they couldn’t afford to keep them.

“Animals provide comfort, companionship and unconditional love,” he said. “But they need proper nutrition and attention to survive. Providing this to a pet actually makes a person feel needed and useful. Pets can give seniors a sense of purpose.”

Studies have found that pet owners visit their doctors less and use less medicine, Crone said. “People also recover faster from surgery and illness, tend to deal better with stressful situations, and are less likely to feel lonely. The need for social contact and support is often not met for older individuals who may have lost friends and family members.”

The pet care items will be delivered by volunteers to individuals through the Meals for ME dining rooms and through the home delivery drivers right to a senior’s door.

This program would not be possible if not for the generosity of the Brewer Wal-Mart Supercenter. Committed to excellence in retail, the store is also committed to the community.

“Instead of just throwing away the pet food that we can’t sell, such as torn bags of dog food, we want to give it away to those who can use it,” said Don Emmons, community involvement coordinator for the Brewer Wal-Mart Supercenter. “We also donate to local animal shelters. And it is not just for pets. Other items, such as baby diapers, have been given to food cupboards and hospitals. We just want to help out.”

And what a help it is. However, it’s important to note that while we are feeding these pets as often as possible, this program is purely supplemental.

“We are never sure what type of food or how much will be available, so people should not count on the deliveries as a sole source of pet food,” said Crone. “We will also have donation envelopes available in case people want to help with the cost of running the program as it is not grant-funded.”

For more information on the Furry Friends Food Bank, call Eastern Area Agency on Aging at 941-2865.

And speaking of helping animals, one of my favorite seniors tells me that the Old Town-Orono Animal Orphanage is looking for items for its annual yard sale, June 28 at the Old Town city garage on Airport Road. No clothing, books, appliances or computer equipment – but anything else is welcome. Call 827-8777 for drop-off information.

Carol Higgins Taylor is director of communications at Eastern Area Agency on Aging. E-mail Higgins Taylor at chtaylor@eaaa.org. For information on EAAA, call 941-2865, toll-free 800-432-7812, e-mail info@eaaa.org or log on EAAA.org. TTY 992-0150.