By Molly Daly

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – The Animal Welfare Association in Voorhees is taking part in a program called Pets for Life that’s a joint effort by the Humane Society of the United States and Petsmart Charities. The AWA is hosting a free vaccine clinic this weekend for residents of an especially poor part of Camden.

Rogero: “We’re doing free shots for cats and dogs this Saturday at at Pyne Poynte Park.”

Woman: “Thank you!”

Christie Rogero, who runs the Pets for Life Camden program for the AWA, has been pounding the pavement, for weeks, handing out leaflets to get the word out about the event.

“Everything about this program is being in the community, on the ground, meeting people. So once we had all of our flyers made up — it’s not something where you go on TV and you advertise on television. You need to be in the community, where the people are. Everything about this program is meet people where they are.”

Where they are is one of the poorest neighborhoods in the city, and the country.

Listen to Molly Daly’s complete interview with Christie Rogero in this CBS Philly podcast:

“For Pets for Life, we go to the areas that have the most economic need. Where you tend to find people suffering, you tend to find animals suffering or animals that are underserved. And so in this particular case, 08102 has no vet clinic, and it’s very difficult for them to get access to veterinary care for their pets.

So, by providing these vaccines, and giving them the access to spay/neuter services, a bag of free food — we can make the families feel better, we definitely are helping the pets to be healthier, and it helps to just elevate that bond between the pet owner and their pet.”

To find out more about the Animal Welfare Association, visit awanj.org