CJ ANDERSON PROOF THAT EVERYONE CAN DO SUMTHIN’

By Penny Lex

Well known throughout the state for her involvement in the pet, disaster, and veteran communities, CJ reflects on two situations early in her life that she says influenced her to become the woman she is today. One, as a little girl shopping with her mother, she cried out, “Mom, what is that?” pointing to a woman’s artificial arm. Totally embarrassed, her mother quickly hustled her out of the store. “I can see now how all my life I had been influenced to stay away from “those kind of people” because I didn’t know how to talk to them. How funny is it that now, about 60 years later, I became one of those people.”

Then there’s the story of CJ’s mother who, although she was very ill and with a short while to live, rescued a pregnant Chihuahua on the way home from a doctor appointment. “My mom would, sick as she was, drag herself out of bed to cook chicken for Pixi, take her to the vet, and take care of the puppies.” Eventually, Pixi passed and one week later, so did CJ’s mother. “I knew without that anchor to keep her here, mom chose to join all the dogs she saved on the other side.” CJ volunteered with Hospice of the Valley for about 25 years and said, “Countless times I saw the difference having a beloved pet made to people in the last stage of life.”

In July of 2010, four women (one of which was CJ), four bags of food, and $40 started the non-profit Empty Bowl Pet Food Pantry in Phoenix. CJ served as vice-president of operations. Then, six months later, she suffered the first of four strokes leaving her wheelchair bound and unable to speak.

Following rehabilitation, she returned to Empty Bowl in 2011 where she was the last standing member of the founders. “Managing the business of a non-profit is hard work and not nearly as rewarding as the operations side that fills so many hearts,” said CJ.

CJ continued her efforts with Empty Bowl “because of the lesson I learned from watching mom with her Chihuahuas. My dogs did not care that I felt sorry for myself and wanted to stay in bed moaning about what I had lost and couldn’t do. They wanted to play, be petted, eat, and walk. They didn’t care that I was now deformed or talked funny. So, I got out of bed to do meetings, events, or service activities and you know what? Nobody cared about how I looked or sounded. And I was making a difference. For me, that is the number one agreement with the man upstairs if I was sticking around. After all, why not be a role model as a new career? That is where my favorite phrase, ‘everyone can do sumthin’ ’comes from.”

“In spite of my background doing FEMA disaster response nationally, I was shocked at the loss of my ability to overcome anything. The grief was unbearable. Even today, the only thing that distracts me from both sad emotions and physical pain is doing something. If I can do something that needs to be done and that no one else is doing, the result is not that I physically stop hurting. It is that the pain is not important enough to notice over what I am involved with.”

CJ went on to use the nonprofit as her rehabilitation realizing that without it, she would just stay home and hide her disabilities. With 45 years working in safety, health, and disaster, both in the community and with OSHA, she shifted her focus to disasters. In 2012, CJ was asked by the Arizona State Health Department to organize and run a state-wide animal-based Medical Reserve Corp out of FEMA. She also resolved to work in the community as opposed to being a “lone wolf” nonprofit. That resulted in her involvement with the Arizona Veterans Coalition and County Stand Downs where veterans who cannot get help for themselves, can come to get services and supplies for themselves and their pets.

In 2017, the nonprofit had grown so big that the agency name was changed to “Animals and Humans in Disaster,” bringing Empty Bowl Pet Food Pantry as a dba department within. This turned the model of the typical “top-down agency” to “neighbor-helping-neighbor” by creating programs utilizing Bruce Cameron’s dog books and study guides in reading programs to help increase resiliency, pet enrichment gardening for individuals and community garden groups, wellness activities, and ongoing coalitions, partnerships, and community service activities.

Believe it or not, these are just a few of CJ’s accomplishments and current ventures. She also worked with Cesar Milan’s show, Dog Whisperer, went on to work with that show’s producer on Operation Hidden Treasures featuring Veterans on the Discovery Channel, upcoming Dog Masters and….most recently, was unanimously elected as vice chair of Governor Ducey’s Arizona State Citizen Corp Council.

If CJ sees a need, she finds a way to fulfill it. She has an abundance of resolve, a truck spilling with dog food and supplies that at a mere 5 foot tall and despite her disabilities, she manages to distribute to those in need on a regular basis.

CJ says that wellness is something we all need to be a part of. “Whether you want to join or just help, please be someone who does sumthin’. If you already do, I will see you in the field and bless you for what you do.”

And blessings to you CJ Anderson…for all you’ve done and continue to do for animals, veterans, and the community.

Interested in helping your Arizona neighborhood, community, or county? Contact CJ by texting 602-909-7153 or ceo@animalsandhumansindisaster.org or scan code.