The Rebel Beat Youth Pet Pantry

Have you ever seen a homeless person on the side of the road with a pet. Many sad questions most likely run through you mind. For example, how do the person and pet both eat? The answer in most cases is both of them don’t. The person will have to make a choice to feed themselves or their pet. This is if they even have access to food. Soup kitchens have food for humans but not animals, so the pets that are actually getting food are getting food that does not properly nourish them. While this was happening, at Foodlink people were donating pet food and they didn’t have a purpose for it. So the donated pet food went to waste and hungry pets didn’t eat or get the proper nutrition they needed. Luckily the Rebel Beat Youth of Webster UCC noticed this. They were very concerned by what was happening and wanted to fix it. So they spoke up against this injustice and came up with a solution. They came up with the Webster UCC Pet Food Pantry. How this will work is Foodlink will bring the previously unused pet food to Webster UCC in the new Pet Food Pantry room. It will be stored their until it is needed and then distributed to the proper places. However a lot of work had to be done before this could be possible. The Youth had to coordinate with Foodlink and also create the space needed to store the pet food, as well as coordinate with the organizations that could distribute the food. The Youth as always were up to the challenge. The Youth leader Wendy Lesko talked to Foodlink and told them their goal, and Foodlink was happy to help. Then the Youth then rolled up their sleeves and got to work. They cleaned out the old middle school room. They moved shelves, couches, and supplies down to the High School Youth room. Lowell Edwards put in shelves that wrap around the entire room. Thanks to his generosity the Pet Pantry could now be used. After that Wendy worked her magic again and coordinated with meals on wheels. They will pick up the pet food and distribute it to the needy who have pets. In addition a few Youth came into Church on Wednesday and Thursday to help set up and organize the pet pantry. Now because the whole church worked together both people and their pets will not go hungry. This Pet Pantry not only brings good to the community by feeding pets who are in need, but shows the good people can do when they work together. Too often people fight against each other or prematurely judge others. The Rebel Beat Youth ministry shows by working with the entire congregation at Webster UCC that people of all ages and from all backgrounds can work side by side to accomplish something truly fonomlinal. With the help of the community and Webster UCC the Youth hope to keep accomplishing great things and enriching the community.

Kelsey Norton

Note from the Youth:

We would sincerely like to thank all the people who support us and help us to accomplish all our goals. We will continue to work hard for the church and community. We are inspired by all the good in the world, and that includes the hard work of Webster UCC. The Pet Pantry is only one of the many things that we will work on to be the hands, feet, and heart of Jesus. We are just beginning so watch out, we got so much more planned.

The Youth of Webster UCC