Dealer helps feed residents and creatures great, small

As the coronavirus pandemic drained local nonprofit organizations of their funds and supplies, Bryan Kilby decided his Bel Air, Md., dealership group, Jones Junction, needed to chip in. And not just to help its human neighbors.

Jones Junction partnered with The Mill, a lawn and garden center that also sells pet supplies, to donate a $5,000 store credit and $1,500 in dog food to the Harford County Humane Society. When announcing the donation in June, the group said it intended to use the store credit to purchase supplies such as cat litter, animal feed and bedding for shelter animals.

"Like so many other nonprofits, we've had to cancel all our fundraising events and activities so far this year, and our usual donations have also declined significantly," Humane Society Executive Director Jen Swanson said in a statement.

Jones Junction also partnered with local grocery store Klein's ShopRite on May 26 to donate $20,000 and an undisclosed amount of store credit to the Harford County Food Bank. The funds provided 100,000 meals to the Harford County, Md., community.

Kilby, co-dealer principal of Jones Junction, told Automotive News that the dealership decided to help after seeing that the Maryland Food Bank was running low on food due to furloughs and layoffs.

"We just felt that we should give back to the community at that point," he said, adding that there was especially a need for perishable foods such as vegetables and bread.

Kilby said that since donating, the dealership has received letters from grateful community members. "It's been huge — I mean, it really helped," he said.

He added that he's glad the dealership could help out during a tough time for everyone: "We're very glad we could do it ... it was very, very challenging here."