Cody’s Friends Charitable Foundation in Tucson

When a 10-year-old named Cody Allen wrote a school report on President John F. Kennedy in 2011, he came home with one idea: he wanted to help hungry animals. That afternoon, he hand-wrote flyers for his neighbors and started collecting pet food off their front porches. Today, Cody’s Friends is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that distributes over one million pounds of pet food and supplies annually to families in need, food banks, shelters, rescue groups, and first responders across Arizona.

For Tucson pet owners who are struggling financially — especially those caring for aging, sick, or special-needs pets — Cody’s Friends is one of the most important local resources you may not know about. This guide covers how the organization works, how to get pet food if you need it, where to donate, and how the foundation connects to the larger network of support that helps keep pets at home with the families who love them.

Organization Overview

How Cody’s Friends Started

Cody Allen was a fifth grader in Tucson when he wrote a school report on President Kennedy’s call to public service. The assignment sparked something in him. As his mother Amber recalls, he came home that afternoon and said he wanted to help hungry animals with food. That very day, he hand-wrote flyers asking his neighbors to donate pet food and left them in mailboxes around the neighborhood.

On Saturday mornings, neighbors would leave bags of pet food on their front porches, and Cody and Amber would drive around in her minivan collecting and delivering donations to people in need and animal rescue groups. For the first four years, that’s how Cody’s Friends operated — a kid, a minivan, and a growing stack of donated kibble.

Everything changed when Cody’s sister created a website and Facebook page for the charity. A local law firm discovered them online and offered to help establish Cody’s Friends as an official 501(c)(3) nonprofit. From there, the organization grew rapidly. GreaterGood.org made Cody’s Friends one of only 24 Rescue Bank affiliates in the United States, which brought national-level support and large-scale food donations. By 2018, Cody’s Friends had distributed over one million pounds of pet food in a single year. Now in its second decade, the organization distributes an average of 22,000 pounds of pet food every month and serves over 50 human service agencies and 100+ animal rescue organizations across Arizona.

How to Get Pet Food If You Need It

If you’re struggling to feed your pet, Cody’s Friends can help. Here’s how to access their programs:

Direct Distribution (Cody’s Community Pets Program)

• Where: 4702 N. Flowing Wells Rd., Tucson
• When: Every Wednesday, 8:30–11:00 a.m. (while supplies last)
• How to register: Email codyscommunitypets@gmail.com to register before your first visit. Walk-ins may be accepted, but registration is recommended.
• What’s available: Dog and cat food, and sometimes other pet supplies. If your pet requires prescription or special diet food, ask — availability depends on donations, but they do receive specialty food from time to time.
• Requirements: Previously, Cody’s Friends has requested proof that your pet has been spayed or neutered, which can be provided with any vet or adoption paperwork.

Community Cats Food Program

• Where: Same location — 4702 N. Flowing Wells Rd.
• When: Every Wednesday, 8:30–11:00 a.m.
• Contact: codyscommunitycats@gmail.com
• Who it’s for: Community cat colony caretakers who are feeding and managing feral or stray cat colonies. Spay and neuter certificates are required for colony cats at this distribution.

Pet Food Outreach (Mobile Locations)

Cody’s Friends also distributes pet food through mobile outreach at several locations around Tucson:

• First Tuesday of the month: Freedom Park (5000 E. 29th St.), 9:00 a.m.
• First Friday of the month: Flowing Wells Assembly of God Church (3198 N. Flowing Wells), 9:00 a.m.
• Additional locations: Pet food is also supplied through the Primavera Foundation (811 S. 6th Ave.), Main Library (101 N. Stone), and Mission Library (3770 S. Mission Rd.). Check the Cody’s Friends pet food assistance page for current schedules and availability.

Through Partner Agencies

You don’t have to go directly to Cody’s Friends to benefit from their work. Over 50 human service agencies throughout Pima County receive pet food from Cody’s Friends and distribute it alongside their existing programs. These include the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona, Interfaith Community Services, Meals on Wheels, the Tucson Fire Department’s TC3 Program, Gospel Rescue Mission, Youth On Their Own, and many more. If you’re already receiving food assistance through any local food bank or social services organization, ask if they carry pet food — there’s a good chance it came from Cody’s Friends.

How to Donate

Cody’s Friends runs entirely on community donations. There are no tax-funded grants. Every dollar and every bag goes directly to feeding pets. Here’s how you can help:

• Donate pet food in person. Drop off unopened bags of pet food at any of the 40+ Cody’s Donation Stations around Tucson. Locations include Tucson Subaru (4901 N. Oracle Rd.), Dirty Dawgs Pet Care (3055 N. Campbell Ave.), Wilde Meyer Gallery (2890 E. Skyline Dr.), and many more. The full list is on the Cody’s Friends donation stations page.
• Donate money online. Monetary donations are tax-deductible and allow Cody’s Friends to purchase food in bulk at reduced cost. Donate at codysfriends.org.
• Mail a check. Checks can be sent to the address listed on the Cody’s Friends website.
• Participate in Arizona Gives Day. Cody’s Friends participates annually in Arizona Gives Day, often with matching donors who double contributions up to $25,000.

Who Cody’s Friends Serves

The scope of Cody’s Friends’ reach is remarkable for a locally founded charity. The organization currently supports:

• Thousands of individual families in Pima County who need pet food assistance
• Over 50 human service agencies, food banks, and first responders (including Meals on Wheels, the Tucson Fire Department, and Youth On Their Own)
• Over 100 animal rescue groups and shelters across Arizona (including PACC, the Humane Society of Southern Arizona, Pinal County animal services, and Willcox animal services)
• Community cat colony caretakers managing feral and stray populations

The organization has also mobilized during disaster events, including sending supplies to Houston after Hurricane Harvey and responding to a fire evacuation in Sonoita that displaced families and their pets.

For more on how Tucson’s shelter system works alongside organizations like Cody’s Friends, our guide to Pima Animal Care Center covers what happens when pets do end up in the shelter system — and why resources like Cody’s Friends help prevent that outcome.

Why Pet Food Banks Matter for End-of-Life Care

The connection between pet food assistance and end-of-life care might not be obvious at first. But for many families, the financial strain of caring for an aging or seriously ill pet is what pushes them toward surrendering their animal — or making euthanasia decisions earlier than they otherwise would.

Consider the reality many pet owners face: a senior dog with kidney disease may need a prescription diet that costs three to four times what standard food costs. A cat with hyperthyroidism may require a special food that isn’t available at regular grocery stores. A large breed dog in the final months of life may need extra supplies — more waste bags, more bedding, more food that’s palatable to a declining appetite. These costs add up, and for families already struggling financially, they can tip the balance from “we can manage” to “we can’t afford this anymore.”

This is where organizations like Cody’s Friends make a direct, tangible difference. By providing free pet food — and in some cases prescription or specialty food when available — they remove one of the biggest financial barriers to keeping a pet at home during their final weeks and months. Keeping a pet at home during end-of-life matters. The alternative — surrendering an elderly or terminally ill pet to a shelter — is devastating for both the animal and the family.

Other Tucson Resources for Pet Owners in Financial Need

Cody’s Friends is one piece of a larger network of organizations that help Tucson pet owners who are struggling. Here are additional resources worth knowing about:

If you’re caring for a pet with a serious illness and need help with veterinary costs specifically, ask your veterinarian about payment plans, CareCredit, or local assistance programs. Some Tucson veterinary practices also offer reduced-cost hospice and end-of-life services for clients facing financial hardship.

Keeping Your Pet at Home During End-of-Life

For many families, the hardest part of a pet’s final months isn’t the medical reality — it’s the feeling of helplessness that comes with watching your pet decline while worrying about whether you can afford to give them what they need. Food, medications, comfort supplies, veterinary visits, and eventually end-of-life care all carry costs. And for families who are already stretched thin, those costs can feel impossible.

But keeping your pet at home — in the place they know, with the people they love — matters deeply, especially at the end. A familiar bed, the sound of your voice, the comfort of routine. These things can’t be replicated in a shelter or a boarding facility. Organizations like Cody’s Friends help make that possible by covering one of the most basic and essential costs: food.

If you’re in a position where you’re weighing whether you can afford to keep your aging or terminally ill pet at home, reach out. Between Cody’s Friends, the HSSA pet pantry, the Southern Arizona Animal Food Bank, and other local resources, there may be more support available than you realize. And when the time comes for end-of-life decisions, understanding the costs and options for compassionate euthanasia can help you plan ahead and make the choice that’s right for your family and your pet.

How to Get Involved

• Volunteer. Help with sorting and distributing pet food, managing donation stations, or supporting outreach events. Contact the organization through their website or Facebook page.
• Host a donation drive. Schools, workplaces, and community groups can organize pet food drives and deliver collected items to any Cody’s Donation Station.
• Spread the word. Many people who could benefit from Cody’s Friends don’t know the organization exists. Sharing their story and resources with your community makes a difference.

Tucson Vetcalls — Compassionate In-Home Veterinary Care

If your pet is aging, dealing with a serious illness, or approaching end of life, Tucson Vetcalls can help. Dr. Maria Miller, DVM, provides gentle, in-home veterinary services including quality-of-life assessments, pain management, and peaceful at-home euthanasia — so your pet can receive care in the comfort and familiarity of home.

No pet should have to spend their final days in an unfamiliar place. To learn more or schedule a consultation, visit tucsonvetcalls.com or call (520) 243-9115.