Wyndmoor, PA -- (SBWIRE) -- 10/01/2014 -- The Doris Day Animal Foundation (DDAF, http://www.ddaf.org), a national non-profit organization founded by the legendary actress and animal welfare advocate, has provided a grant to Sam’s Hope to establish a “Meals for the Pets of the Homebound Elderly” program.

“When we learned about Sam’s Hope and their community work to keep pets at home with their families and out of shelters, we wanted to help,” Miss Day said from her home in Carmel, California. “DDAF funds 501(c)(3) non-profit charitable organizations helping animals and the people who love them. Marianne Iaquinto, founder of Sam’s Hope, and the volunteers who help with this valuable work are making a difference in their communities, and we’re proud to be able to help with their efforts.”

“The funding from Doris Day Animal Foundation will help us kick-start a much needed program that will provide food for the pets of low-income, homebound senior citizens,” says Marianne Iaquinto, founder of Sam’s Hope. “Pet food will be distributed on a monthly basis via an established home-delivered meals program and will benefit seniors in Bucks, Montgomery and Philadelphia Counties in Southeastern Pennsylvania.”

This program will be a win-win for both the pet and the senior.

The pet will receive healthy, pet-appropriate meals, stay in their home with their beloved person, and not face surrender to an overburdened shelter system where his/her future is very uncertain.

The benefits to the senior are numerous; less strain on limited finances, a longer, happier, healthier life that a companion animal provides, and not having to make the decision of feeding their pet or themselves, (as many as 90% of seniors share meals with their pets, compromising their health and nutrition),

For more information about Sam’s Hope and its pet assistance programs, or to learn how to support these programs, please visit our website at http://www.samshope.org.

About Sam’s Hope
Sam’s Hope is a 501(c)(3) non-profit animal welfare organization dedicated to saving the lives of companion animals by keeping those facing economic and health challenges and their pets together through food, veterinary and other assistance programs.

Founded in 2013, Sam's Hope was inspired by the founder’s beloved dog Samantha, and her awareness of the current economic climate, which forces many pet owners to surrender or abandon their pets.

Our mission is to save the lives of companion animals by keeping them out of shelters, where they face a very uncertain future, and with their families.

Our vision is a world where all pets are well cared for and in a loving home for life.

About Doris Day Animal Foundation
With the simple and straightforward mission of helping animals and those who love them, Doris Day Animal Foundation provides funding to 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations for animal welfare work with specific low-overhead programs, including animal rescue, lifetime care for search and rescue dogs, helping people care for their animals, assisting with care for horses, paying for spay/neuters and other animal-related needs.

Additional grants have endowed a scholarship in veterinary medicine at UC Davis, provided funding for rescue efforts for California seals and sea lions, Kevlar vests for service dogs, greyhound rescue, wild mustang rescue, reduced adoption fees for seniors adopting senior pets, wildlife sanctuary assistance, and feral cat TNR programs, to name but a few.