Columbia businesses band together to help homeless animals | Business

Homeless pets in the Midlands will have more to eat this fall, thanks to a group of Columbia businesses.

In the month of September, the group collected 10 cases worth of pet food, along with many boxes of essential supplies like paper towels, bleach, and detergent, for local animal rescue organization Pawmetto Lifeline. This pet food and supply drive marks the first of a series events that will be performed for a variety of preselected charities every four to six weeks over the next year.

The organizations represented in the coalition, most of which are located in the Westpark office park off of Fernandina Road, include: Brown and Caldwell; Columbia Conference Center; Crop Production Services; Diversified Development, Inc.; Federal Bureau of Investigation; Power Engineering Company, Inc.; S&ME, Inc.; South Carolina Association of REALTORS; South Carolina Dental Association; South Carolina Medical Association; Southeastern Telecom, Inc.; Midlands Veterinary Practice; Paul C. Rizzo Associates, Inc.; South Carolina High School League; The Benefit Company, Inc.; and UnitedHealthcare.

Kim Inman, Vice President of Columbia Conference Center and coordinator of the coalition, said, “Particularly in difficult times such as these, charitable organizations need our help. Our group combines volunteers from the dedicated staffs of several small businesses in an attempt to make the biggest possible impact on our community.”

In addition to the drive for Pawmetto Lifeline, the group will hold drives for canned goods, school supplies, and toiletries for local food banks, schools, and soldier care packages, and will participate in roadside and river trash pickups.

Pawmetto Lifeline (formerly Project Pet) is a pet adoption nonprofit that has saved over 6,000 animals from being euthanized since its inception in 1999. The organization recently broke ground on a new no-kill shelter located on Bower Parkway.