Rockford manufacturer sends 2,100 pounds of pet food to aid shelters after Hurricane Helene
By Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
Get our mobile app
ROCKFORD — A local manufacturer is sending hundreds of pounds of dog food to the Southeast coast to help shelters handle an influx of animals in the wake of Hurricane Helene.
425 Manufacturing, 2500 Harrison Ave., loaded up 42 bags of dog food on Thursday to send the total of 2,100 pounds of pet food to a shelter in Jasper County, South Carolina.
“Rockford has helped us to get to the point that we’re at,” said Mike Thomason, owner of 425 Manufacturing, a 9-year-old business that expanded into a larger building late last year. “If we’re at a point where we can help anybody else then we’re going to help.”
425 Manufacturing had run a promotion in September where it donated a 6.3-pound bag of cat food to Kibble Korner, a local pet food pantry that supports families in need, for every drill steel support it sold. After Hurricane Helene hit the Southeast coast, Thomason said he looked for a way to extend help to people and pets in need there.
The devastating storm destroyed communities in North Carolina and along the coast, killing at least 215 people. The death toll is expected to rise as recovery efforts continue.
Thomason said he called shelters in North Carolina, unable to get through, until connecting with one in Jasper County, South Carolina, that said it had been taking in multiple animals after the deadly storms.
“They said, literally we are almost completely out of dog food,” Thomason said. “I asked her, would 2,000 pounds help you? She literally burst into tears on the phone.”
This article is by Kevin Haas. Email him at khaas@rockrivercurrent.com or follow him on X at @KevinMHaas or Instagram @thekevinhaas and Threads @thekevinhaas
