FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Elizabeth Eckel, SVP Marketing, 401-348-1309
DATE: February 22, 2006

Washington Trust Holds 6th Annual Peanut Butter Drive for Local Food Banks

February 22, 2006 (Westerly, RI) . . . Washington Trust will begin its 6th annual "P.B. Xpress," a bank-wide drive to collect jars of peanut butter for the Rhode Island Community Food Bank and other local food banks. Last year's drive brought in a record 8.5 tons of peanut butter. The drive will run from March 1 through March 31 and end on April 1 with a live radio remote with 92 PRO-FM at the Bank's Cranston branch, 645 Reservoir Avenue, on the corner of Park and Reservoir.

More than 50 schools throughout the state will also participate by holding peanut butter drives, giving students the opportunity to help those in need and learn hands-on about the importance of serving their community. The schools that collect the most peanut butter will be awarded the following prizes:

• Elementary or Pre-School: A visit from Roger Williams Park Zoo's Zoomobile
• Middle School: An appearance by two Providence Bruins Players at your school on Monday, April 10
• High School: One of HOT 106's DJ's mixing LIVE for a dance

Customers and members of the community are invited to stop by any of Washington Trust's 16 branches (see locations below) to donate jars of peanut butter to help local families in need.

"Washington Trust is excited to be holding its sixth annual P.B. Xpress. Since we began the peanut butter drive in 2001, we have collected more than 20 tons of peanut butter for the Rhode Island Community Food Bank and other local food pantries to provide to people in need," said John C. Warren, Washington Trust Chairman and CEO. "Since donations to food banks are usually lower after the holidays, we're happy we can help them restock their shelves with this much-needed item that serves as a source of protein for so many hungry children and families."

"Last year, Washington Trust's P.B. Xpress brought in 8.5 tons of peanut butter, which was a tremendous help to the Rhode Island Community Food Bank and the clients we serve," said Bernie Beaudreau, Executive Director of the Food Bank. "We are grateful to Washington Trust, the schools and members of the community that participate in the drive, and we are looking forward to another successful effort this year." added Beaudreau.

On Saturday, April 1, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. radio station 92 PRO-FM will help promote P.B. Xpress with a live remote broadcast from Washington Trust's Cranston branch, on the corner of Reservoir and Park Avenues, with "Giovanni & Kim In the Morning!" - the station's top-rated morning team. Anyone who stops by to donate peanut butter during the broadcast will have a chance to win prizes from 92 PRO-FM.

Inquiries regarding the "P.B. Xpress," including how your school or community group can participate, may be directed to Melinda M. Hill at Washington Trust at (401) 348-1363.

Washington Trust locations for "P.B. Xpress" collections
Bank customers and the public are invited to drop off jars of peanut butter at any of the following Washington Trust branches:

Rhode Island:

Block Island: Ocean Avenue
Charlestown: 4137 Old Post Road
Cranston: 645 Reservoir Avenue (corner of Park and Reservoir)
Narragansett: 885 Boston Neck Road (Bonnet Shores) and 20 Point Judith Road (near Salt Pond Shopping Center)
North Kingstown: 7625 Post Road
Providence: 180 Washington Street (downtown)
Richmond: 1200 Main Street
South Kingstown: 730 Kingstown Road (Wakefield)
Warwick: 236 Centerville Road (Route 117)
Westerly: 23 Broad Street (Main Office), 126 Franklin Street, and 106 Main Street (McQuade's Marketplace)

Connecticut:

Mystic:
  Olde Mistick Village
  179 Stonington Road (A&P Super Foodmart)
  14 Clara Drive (McQuade's Marketplace)

The Washington Trust Company is the largest independent bank headquartered in Rhode Island. A state-chartered bank, Washington Trust offers a full range of financial services, including wealth management, through its offices located in Rhode Island, southeastern Connecticut and Massachusetts. Founded in 1800, the Bank is a subsidiary of Washington Trust Bancorp, Inc., whose common stock trades on The NASDAQ Stock Market® under the symbol WASH. Web site address: www.washtrust.com.

The Rhode Island Community Food Bank is a non-profit organization located in Providence, RI. The Food Bank solicits stores and distributes food products donated by supermarkets, wholesalers, food processors, local farmers and community food drives. The food is then distributed to the Food Bank's network of over 400 member agency programs. In the past fiscal year ending June 30, the Food Bank distributed a record 8.4 million pounds of food, while serving an average of 51,000 people each month. For more information about the Food Bank, please visit www.rifoodbank.org.