Bob Petersen, president of Four Paws Food Pantry, has announced that the United Community Bank in Tellico Village will sponsor a food drive for Four Paws during the month of March.

Four Paws Food Pantry is the 501c3 charity that puts the dog and cat food into Good Samaritan’s Food Pantry in Lenoir City. The group was organized as a result of the 2008-2009 recession. Linda Walter, Chris Britton and Carol Witherington were volunteering at the Loudon County Animal Shelter and saw so many people bringing in pets that they could no longer afford to feed, due to the severe downturn in the economy.

After fourteen years “of hard work,” a press release stated that the founders retired and passed the baton along to a new board of directors — which is currently trying to increase the donor base by becoming more visible in the community.


Driver coordinator/secretary Jackie Curtiss was in the bank one day renewing a CD. She noticed a picture of dogs on assistant manager Julia Bonham’s desk, and they began swapping dog stories. Ultimately, a meeting was arranged with bank manager/VP Candace Worobe, who is also a dog lover.

Curtiss, who moved here in 2014 and started volunteering with Four Paws shortly thereafter, had observed that the United Community Bank was always involved in helping the community.

“I’ve seen them sell concert tickets for the church, sell nuts for the Pilot Club, collect funds for the family of the police officer tragically killed on the highway a few years back, do a food drive for the Good Shepherd organization in Madisonville, participate in Toys for Tots, and collect backpacks and school supplies for Loudon County schools.

“Recently, they held two collections for the hurricane victims in North Carolina. … They truly live up to the word COMMUNITY in the bank’s name,” the press release stated.

The purpose of Four Paws is to keep pets at home, where they belong. When people suffer a financial hardship — a job loss, an illness or a family death — they often find themselves having to choose whether to fill the car with gas, pay the electric bill, buy dinner for the kids … or feed the dog.

Many of their clients are disabled, veterans or trying to eke out a living on Social Security, but they are bonded to their pets and wish to take good care of them. Close to 2,000 families sought help from Four Paws in 2024, and the demand is increasing.

If you are able to donate, United Community Bank will be collecting food starting in March at the Tellico Village branch. Four Paws Treasurer Keith Mutschler notes that Four Paws normally supplies dry pet food, so bags are the first choice if you are purchasing food for the drive.

“The space at Good Samaritan is limited, and bags work best. However, if you have a case of wet food that your pet turns their nose up at, we can use that too,” the press release stated.

The group will also gladly accept cash donations.

“Four Paws is very grateful to the bank for their willingness to help out. The price of pet food has more than doubled since COVID, and the group is trying to broaden their donor base.

“The Good Neighbor Shoppe has been a long-time donor to Four Paws and has been instrumental in their ability to stay afloat amid rising prices and increasing demand. VP Debra Sellers has gotten the Women’s Group of Tennessee National interested and their contributions have been much appreciated.

“Four Paws is also grateful to the General Federation of Women’s Clubs here in TV, which has given them several much-needed contributions. The Church of the Resurrection in Loudon has instituted ‘Fourth Sunday Four Paws Day,” and the Lenoir City Animal Clinic has held several food drives over the years.”

Four Paws looks forward to community contributions during March at United Community Bank in Tellico Village. For more information on Four Paws Food Pantry, visit 4pawsfp.org or email fourpawsfoodpantry@gmail.com.