SIOUX FALLS, SD (KELO) — KELOLAND Media Group has just wrapped-up another successful Pet Food Drive for the Sioux Falls Area Humane Society. People dropped-off more than 3,600 pounds of pet food in front of our downtown studio Friday. They also donated more than $1,200 in cash.

You could measure generosity by the carload in front of our KELOLAND studios.

“It’s just so easy to pull up and make a donation and empty-out the vehicle,” Lisa Claassen of Brandon said.

Work kept Claassen from donating to our food drive last year. So she’s making up for it this year.

“I bought five big bags of dog food and two bags of puppy chow and two boxes of milk bones,” Claassen said.

KELOLAND Media Group staffers unload the donations so drivers can keep close to the air conditioning inside their vehicles.

“Everybody has so much fun to come out and help unload these donations from people who are so generous with their donations for this cause and it’s just so fun to be a part of,” KELOLAND Media Group Director of Marketing and Creative Services Paul Farmer said.

All of these donations are going to the Humane Society’s Food Bank, which helps pet owners who otherwise can’t afford to buy pet food on their own.

“Just because you can’t maybe afford food, doesn’t mean you’re necessarily not equipped to have an animal. So this is our way of helping those people in our community and families that are maybe struggling to keep their pets because pets bring a lot of emotional support, a lot of stress relief,” Sioux Falls Area Humane Society Special Event & Public Relations Coordinator Madison Godschalk said.

An overwhelming response from the community brought an abundance of pet food for families in-need, courtesy of the drive-up donations from so many animal lovers.

If you missed Friday’s event, you can still drop off pet food, toys and supplies, along with cash donations, to most Sioux Falls Lewis stores through Labor Day.