Sandra Kaye, right, poses with members of the St. Francis Homeless Project Friday in front of their new mobile dog-treat van. Photo by Donald A. Promnitz

A local nonprofit and dog treat maker is now on wheels — and barking to a neighborhood near you.

According to Sandra Kaye, executive director of St. Francis Homeless Project, Inc., the recent acquisition of a Mazda van has turned them into a “mobile, barking curbside” business, creating two new jobs.

Kaye explained that this is the culmination of four years of planning and raising $4,000. Using the van, St. Francis workers will be driving around Fresno going to neighborhoods, parks, food truck expos and other events, along with making deliveries. All the while, they’ll be playing music from the speakers. Elvis Presley’s “Hound Dog” is on the playlist, but Kaye explained that “Who Let the Dogs Out” was a bit more complicated, as they don’t have the rights to it.

“So we have somebody that’s putting a musical piece together for us… and so we’ll start barking,” Kaye said, adding that it will be to the tune of the hit song by the Baja Men.

Whatever the song, however, Kaye had a hard time containing her excitement, adding that they’re already seeing results.

“People are already stopping us at stop signs,” Kaye said. “And I’m rolling down the window and they’re going: ‘How big are the treats? Where are they?’ So I didn’t expect that part, but they’re stopping us on the street already.”

St. Francis Homeless Project provides jobs and job training to women who are homeless and/or in recovery for substance abuse.