The North Texas Food Bank announced the launch of the Annual Spread the Hope Peanut Butter Drive today (Thursday, Sept. 1) as part of Hunger Action Month. The food drive runs throughout September to collect 500,000 pounds of peanut butter, both physically and online through a monetary donation, to help feed North Texans facing hunger.
The jars of peanut butter collected through this drive can then be distributed through the North Texas Food Bank’s Food 4 Kids backpack program and NTFB’s feeding network of more than 400 partner agencies and organizations.
The Peanut Butter Drive started in 2014 when Harry LaRosiliere, then mayor of Plano, 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, and this year the North Texas Food Bank has expanded the drive to include all 13 counties that the North Texas Food Bank serves.
North Texas residents and businesses can support the food drive by collecting physical jars of peanut butter or through a virtual food drive. Instructions for how to host a virtual food drive and promote it with friends or coworkers can be found here. Each dollar donated to the peanut butter campaign platform is used by NTFB to purchase peanut butter for a North Texas family facing hunger.
Physical 16-ounce plastic jars of any brand of peanut or any other nut butter can be delivered to the North Texas Food Bank’s Perot Family Campus in Plano at 3677 Mapleshade Lane. Attendees at the State Fair of Texas this year also have an opportunity to participate by bringing two jars of peanut butter on opening day for discounted admission.
— Tammye Nash
