Cody Allen, 15, has a forklift.
And it's a big deal.
Cody, a Salpointe Catholic High School sophomore, got the idea to start Cody's Friends Charity as a fifth grader inspired by the John F. Kennedy's quote "Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country."
And ask he did.
After some 10-year-old soul searching, Cody decided he wanted to help children and animals.
It began simply in 2010. On the first Saturday of the month, he and mom Amber Allen would cruise Tucson, picking up donations for kids and pets left on front porches. Then they would then hit rescue adoption events at pet stores, delivering the food, beds and other necessities they had received. They delivered the children's items to local charities.
As the effort grew, Cody's older sister offered to make him a website and Facebook page in 2014, attracting the attention of a local law firm that volunteered to make Cody's Friends a non-profit organization.
For about five years, the Allen family sacrificed its living space and garage to store donations.
"It overwhelmed the house and we hand-delivered everything to rescue events at Petco and PetSmart," Amber says.
They drove 65 miles on a typical Saturday, she adds.
Not to mention the smell. Just imagine —hundreds of pounds of pet food. Fragrant.
Last fall, Cody's Friends moved into a building his parents owned on Flowing Wells Road. Now rescue groups come to them the two days they're open — Saturdays and Wednesdays — and during emergencies.
In the last year, supplies have increased to fill most of the building with dog and cat food, leashes, harnesses, beds, bowls, treats, toys and other pet essentials.
Plus that forklift, donated recently by the Bonnie Kay Charitable Fund at the Community Foundation for Southern Arizona.
Having its own forklift means the charity doesn't have fork out a couple hundred dollars each month to rent one.
Earlier in 2016, the Rescue Bank in Houston, Texas — an organization modeled like a food bank — began sending pet food donations to Cody's Friends so he could serve the rest of the state. At that point, Cody began to prioritize pet rescues, although he still does receive donations for children. Last year, Cody's Friends sponsored a family for Christmas. The charity also became a partner of the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona this year.
The trucks from the Rescue Bank arrive with as much as 45,000 pounds of food and treats for Arizona's dogs and cats each month.
Hence the forklift.
Cody's Friends now distributes food and other essentials to as many as 80 animal rescue groups around the state. This year, the charity has supplied more than 350,000 pounds of food , says Cody's dad, Mark Allen.
Last year, they gave out about 700 blankets to rescues, low-income families, homeless pets and the Pima Animal Care Center. The effort has grown enough to keep 10 to 12 volunteers busy.
In 2017, Cody and his family want to distribute 40 donation boxes around town. That eliminates the Saturday collection drives to pick up donations.
Food from Cody's Friends goes to the Humane Society of Southern Arizona, the Tucson Fire Department, the Tohono O'odham and San Carlos Apache reservations and Silver Sea Jewelry for the homeless to pick up.
"The list goes on and on," Amber says.
For the rescue groups, not having to pay for food and other pet supplies lets them spend their money on medical care.
"We have 70 dogs in our care, and our medical cost is extremely high because we take in seniors and hospice dogs," says Terri Goddard, a founder of Tucson Cold Wet Noses. "We're doing dentals and bloodwork and that adds up, so this is something that is really kind and has helped us greatly."
The Allens have five rescue dogs of their own , and when Cody started Cody's Friends, he imagined helping local kids and animals.
"I just wanted to help rescue animals " he says. "I never expected trucks of food."
About this series
These stories feature Tucsonans 25 and younger who make us hopeful about the future.
