FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Brenda D. Farrell, Corporate Communications Manager, 401-348-1363
DATE: May 4, 2004
Washington Trust Collects Seven Tons of Peanut Butter for Food Banks
Westerly, Rhode Island... Westerly, Rhode Island…It's official - Washington Trust's fourth annual P.B. Xpress brought in a record-breaking seven tons of peanut butter to help the Rhode Island Community Food Bank and the Pawcatuck Neighborhood Center in Connecticut. Washington Trust's drive, held during the month of March, attracted donations from bank employees, customers, schools and businesses throughout Rhode Island and southeastern Connecticut.
"We kicked off this year's event with an ambitious goal of four tons and we exceeded that goal by 175 percent," said John C. Warren, Chairman and CEO of The Washington Trust Company. "Seven tons of peanut butter is approximately fourteen thousand jars. The success of this program is a great testament to the level of caring and teamwork between Washington Trust employees, our customers and our friends in the local schools and the business community."
"Peanut Butter is one of the Food Bank's most sought after items," commented Bernie Beaudreau the Food Bank's Executive Director. "Children love it and it's rich in protein. However, it can also be an expensive item for families who are struggling to get by," said Beaudreau. "The peanut butter we received through Washington Trust's drive has already begun to find its way to the tables of hungry Rhode Islanders. The seven tons will go a long way in helping us meet the need this summer while children are out of school."
To help promote the drive, Washington Trust partnered with Providence, R.I. radio station 92 WPRO FM, whose popular morning show team, "Giovanni and Kim!", help spread the word on-air throughout the month of March. The event culminated on Saturday, March 27, 2004 with a live radio remote broadcast from the Bank's branch location at 645 Reservoir Avenue in Cranston, Rhode Island. On that day alone, more than three-and-a-half tons of peanut butter was collected, filling the Rhode Island Community Food Bank's delivery truck to the roof.
Twelve schools and two local businesses brought in two hundred or more jars each. Leading the contributions were the Math Team from St. Mary's - Bay View Academy, with 1,500 jars. Ocean State Job Lot contributed 1,000 jars. Contributions included:
Top Three Collections:
- St. Mary's - Bay View Academy (East Providence): 1,500 jars
- Ocean State Job Lot (Company based in North Kingstown, R.I.): 1,000 jars
- Westerly High School: 800 jars
Schools Collecting 200 or more jars:
- Chariho High School: 230 jars
- Narragansett High School: 275 jars
- Ponagansett High School (North Scituate): 203 jars
- Silver Spring School (East Providence): 205 jars
- St. Mary's School (Pawtucket): 250 jars
- West Warwick High School: 200 jars
- Wheeler High School (Connecticut): 250 jars
- Woonsocket High School: 250 jars
- Woonsocket Area Career & Technical School: 200 jars
Schools Collecting 101 - 199 jars:
- Charlestown Elementary School: 150 jars
- Coventry High School:113 jars
- East Greenwich High School: 111 jars
- Horton Elementary School (Cranston): 142 jars
- Prout School (Wakefield): 145 jars
- Robert Bailey School (Cranston): 142 jars
- Springbrook Elementary School (Westerly): 157 jars
Schools Collecting up to 100 jars:
- Aldrich Junior High School (Warwick): 89 jars
- Cumberland High School: 96 jars
- Providence College: 80 jars
- South Kingstown High School: 41 jars
Business donations of peanut butter:
- 92 WPRO-FM (East Providence): 487 jars
- The Way of the Dragon Martial Arts School (East Providence): 265 jars
- Wal-Mart SuperCenter (Westerly): 100 jars
- Joe Aiello Karate School (Cranston): 88 jars
- Med-Tech Ambulance (Pawtucket): 65 jars
- Italo-American Club (Providence): 53 jars
- Talbots stores of Rhode Island: 53 jars
- Anchor Medical (Providence): 37 jars
- Daniel B's Restaurant (Wakefield): 30 lbs. of peanut butter in commercial-sized tubs
Business in-kind donations:
- Friendly's Ice Cream (Cranston): In-kind donation of gift certificates for free raffle
- Garden Hills Deli (Cranston): In-kind donation of gift certificates for free raffle
- Rumford Pet Center (Cumberland): In-kind donation - use of delivery truck and driver
- McQuade's Marketplace (Westerly): 500+ jars of peanut butter sold at cost
