March 15, 2021
Kevin Marlin, executive director of Orange County Animal Allies; Marlin photograph courtesy of Orange County Animal Allies
As grocery store shelves were emptied in the early days of the pandemic,
Orange County Animal Allies faced an unexpected problem. The organization, formerly known as the Orange County SPCA, had long been supplying food banks with pet food through its No Empty Bowls program.
“Most of our donations are from overstock, directly from the warehouse,” says executive director Kevin Marlin. “The food shortages meant that we suddenly weren’t getting any donations. And in the meantime, the demand for food was skyrocketing.”