Chef Pepe, Downtown Coin team up again for Carson City-based Pets of the Homeless

Inspired by the locally-based national non-profit Pets of the Homeless, Chef Don Pepe and Downtown Coin of Carson City have joined forces once again this year to raise money for the organization and its efforts to provide care for the furry companions of homeless individuals across the United States.

Pepe, popularly known as “The Paella King” and owner of Carpa Nevada, LLC, in Carson City, is selling his signature Portugese-imported olive oils and balsamic vinegar through Downtown Coin, located at 111 W. Telegraph Street, now through Dec. 31.

The two-month long campaign successfully raised $400 in donations for “Pets of the Homeless” last year, including $378 in profits made from the sale of Pepe’s oils and vinegar.

Both Pepe and Dan Wilson of Downtown Coin hope to at least double the donation this year.

“We would like to get close to $1,000 this year,” Pepe said. “We just want to sell more this year to help more pets of homeless people.”

The entire profits made from sales will be donated to Pets of the Homeless, the chef said.

“All of the profit we make on this goes to Pets of the Homeless,” he said. “We don’t make a penny, and we don’t want a penny from this.”

Pets of the Homeless is a nationally recognized 501(c)3 non-profit organization started a decade ago in Carson City by founder Genevieve Frederick.

Since then, thousands of pets have received emergency and routine veterinary treatment. The organization has spent tens of thousands of dollars in veterinary hospitals and clinics around the country.

Chef Pepe said that although his oils and vinegar are the draw of this fundraiser, having Downtown Coin owners Dan and Trish Wilson as partners is an indispensable asset.

“Without this store here, without the Wilsons, and without the coin club here, this would not be possible,” he said. “I would like to thank them from the bottom of my heart for making this happen.”

Dan Wilson said he’s happy to help, because pets have been an important part of his life. He understands their significance to others.

“Both of us have lost pets,” he said, referring also to Chef Pepe. “Pets are a big part of my life. When Pepe and I first met, two of the things we talked about were the beautiful shepherd he lost and my beautiful Jack Russell. So it’s like a bond between us.”

The idea of helping someone keep their pet when they have nothing else in life is a motivator for Downtown Coin to participate in this fundraising campaign, Wilson said.

“Imagine not having anything except your pet,” he said. “Since I’ve met the chef, I’ve had dozens of people who came in just to say thanks. The chef is a pretty special person.”

Pepe said he’s seen first-hand the effects that having a pet can have on a person who is homeless.

“On my walks at night, I once saw a little girl sleeping inside a car with a dog on top of her,” the chef recalled. “I asked her if she had a blanket, and she told me the dog was her blanket. That brought tears to my eyes.”

For Wilson and Pepe, giving to Pets of the Homeless is a way for them to honor the pets they’ve lost and serves as a reminder of how close they were to them.

“This is our favorite charity,” Pepe said. “People just don’t know what these pets bring to you.”

For more information on Pets of the Homeless, visit the organization’s web site here, or find it on Facebook here.