DALLAS — The North Texas Food Bank is calling on neighbors and companies to help them address hunger among children in the area.
The food bank launched their annual Spread the Hope Peanut Butter Drive as part of Hunger Action Month. Their goal is to collect 500,000 pounds of peanut butter throughout September via physical and online monetary donations.
NTFB says peanut butter is a "healthy, kid-friendly and shelf-stable item that makes it an important component of nutritional charitable food assistance." They're planning to distribute jars through their Food 4 Kids backpack program in addition to the 400 partners in their feeding network.
Food bank President and CEO Trisha Cunningham said the food drive is coming at a perfect time. Not only are kids back in school, but NTFB has seen a rise in demand for help
"Inflation is hitting families hard, and we have seen a record level increase in the need for nutritious food in the North Texas area over the past several months,” she said.
North Texas residents and businesses can support the drive by collecting physical jars of peanut butter or hosting a virtual food drive.
For physical donation, you can deliver 16 oz. jars of peanut butter or other kinds of nut butter to the NTFB's Perot Family Campus at 3677 Mapleshade Lane in Plano.
If you're planning to go to the State Fair on opening day (Friday, Sept. 30), you can bring two jars of peanut butter for discounted admission.
For online donations, every dollar will help buy a jar of peanut butter for a North Texas family facing hunger.
The Peanut Butter Drive started in 2014 when the City of Plano mayor at the time, Harry LaRosiliere, wanted a way to raise awareness of the issue of childhood hunger in his city. Over the years, the drive expanded to include all of Collin County. Under the leadership of the county’s mayors and community leaders, the 2021 campaign collected a record-breaking 347,979 pounds, exceeding its goal of 300,000 pounds, and marking an increase from the 287,000 pounds raised in the 2020 campaign.
This year the North Texas Food Bank has expanded the drive to include all 13 counties that the North Texas Food Bank serves. Current Plano Mayor, John Muns, has challenged the mayors across North Texas in a video to support the drive to meet the goal of raising 500,000 pounds of peanut butter.
In addition, the City of Richardson sponsored an informational video where mayors and council members from the cities of Allen, Carrollton, Coppell, Dallas, Fairview, Frisco, Lavon, McKinney, Plano, Richardson and Sachse came together to promote the Peanut Butter Drive across North Texas.
