Help the cats of Chelsea

BOSTON, MA, UNITED STATES, November 23, 2020 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Father Edgar Gutierrez-Duarte has been helping the poor as the vicar of Saint Luke’s Church for more than ten years. As a man of faith in one of the Boston metropolitan area’s poorest cities, he firmly believes animals are important in one’s life, even if you have few financial resources.

HubCats Chelsea is a small, non-profit, all-volunteer organization dedicated to the well-being of Chelsea cats (and dogs). It’s no secret that Chelsea is a community that is overrun with stray and feral cats, simply because of a lack of education and resources. The organization started as a way to help Chelsea’s feral cats and the pets of those who live there. When volunteers reached out to local charities to try to help distribute pet food purchased by HubCats Chelsea, many food banks turned them away, citing a lack of interest.

But one charity gladly accepted the donation and showed just how much people need pet food. Saint Luke’s Church, which has seen record growth in its usage of its food bank, knew its community members needed that cat food. “Pets are important to families, even if they don’t have much. Cats, dogs, birds and snakes provide comfort during challenging times. But they can also be a constant worry if you don’t have enough to feed them. Our food bank gives people peace of mind in knowing we can help them take care of their pets,” said Father Edgar recently.

Stacy LeBaron is a cat advocate, podcast host and former animal welfare executive who helped lead the effort to get food for animals in Chelsea, which is predominantly a Hispanic community that has been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. Families often live in cramped quarters, and quarantining can be challenging. “Chelsea doesn’t have the resources of other communities in the Boston area, yet it is a city with a high number of loving pet owners. Many folks who live in Chelsea expressed surprise when the church’s food bank offered pet food. Once Father Edgar opened the doors for us to get pet food distributed, other food shelves took notice of the need. Now, we are in high need for cat food, especially,” said LeBaron.

The church started its food bank back during the recession of 2007, and at one point served 60 families. Forward to now, and his church serves almost 700 families weekly. If you are able to help donate pet food for Chelsea, please contact LeBaron at stacy@communitycatspodcast.com or call her at 978-239-2090.


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The Community Cats Podcast is the brainchild of Stacy LeBaron. Stacy has more than 20 years of experience working with community cats in Massachusetts. She was the president of the Merrimack River Feline Rescue Society for 16 years. The podcast hopes to help create a more humane community for cats and provide education, information, and dialogue that will create a supportive environment to empower people to help cats in their community. For more information about the podcast, go to: https://www.communitycatspodcast.com or call 978-239-2090.

Mary Tan
Whisker Media
+1 612-209-3303
mary@whiskermedia.com
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