A local photographer has found a way to fight hunger and all it takes is a picture of your pet.
Meet Winston and Walter, two labradors who are getting a photoshoot that won’t just end with pictures on their owners’ walls.
“We did this, A - for our dogs, and maybe even before A, [the] number one [reason] was to help the food bank and we're happy to be a part of that," said Matthew Clark, who watched his dogs' photoshoot on Friday.
The Pet Portraits with Purpose fundraiser is hosted by Amy Marlan at her photography studio in Grover Beach. Marlan said she wanted to bring a unique experience to the area while giving back to people struggling with food insecurity.
“The great thing is that I control the environments," Marlan said. "They get to come in and sniff and, you know, be themselves and then we can be super creative with them.”
Those who sign up get an hour-long photo session for their pets after a consultation with Marlan. Out of every $175 session, $150 is donated to the New Life U-Pick Pantry in Pismo Beach. Marlan said they’ve raised around $1,800 since the beginning of March. She said the PETS hospital in Orcutt is matching each dollar donated, doubling this year’s proceeds.
“Everybody is so excited and they really want to help," Marlan said. "It gives them a reason to be like, 'Yes, I finally want to have pictures of my pets but then also we can help the pantry.'”
Marlan said she was drawn to helping the pantry after hearing about its unique, grocery-store style.
Food pantry founder Gina Nicola said they’ve gone from helping hundreds of people to over 40,000 a year since their start in 2020. She believes the changing economy is responsible for the growing need.
“I think there's a lot of issues that are going on in our world right now, especially in our community, that people are struggling to make ends meet," Nicola said. "So they're coming here to... it's a way that they still get to shop.“
Nicola said the pantry resembles a grocery store to allow participants to shop with dignity.
She said that some weeks, it’s hard to provide for so many people. Marlan’s yearly fundraiser helps them give as much as they can to people and their pets.
“It's helped out in more ways than we thought," Nicola said. "So with the financial donations, it gives us the freedom to shop and buy the things that we need, but they've also donated dog food, pet food."
Nicola said dog food is a rare commodity that helps people who have pets as their only companions.
"For [Marlan] to even like bring that in has been a blessing to our community for sure," Nicola said.
The deadline to book your own photos for the fundraiser is March 31.
