Washington Trust Kicks Off 23rd Annual Peanut Butter Drive to Support Hunger Relief Agencies

The Washington Trust Company announced that it has kicked off its annual Peanut Butter Drive for the 23^rd year. The Washington Trust Peanut Butter Drive encourages customers and community members to donate jars of peanut butter at any of the Bank’s 25 branch locations, or to make an online contribution to benefit food bank partners across their footprint in RI, CT and MA. Online fundraising is being conducted to support the Rhode Island Community Food Bank, Connecticut Foodshare, and the Greater Boston Food Bank.

This year’s peanut butter drive is coming at a critical moment for local hunger relief agencies, as they brace for the impact of a reduction in funding of the federal SNAP benefits program. As of March 1^st, SNAP benefits paid to States will no longer include the additional emergency funding that was allocated to help families during the COVID-19 pandemic. In Rhode Island, this means that households receiving SNAP benefits will see their monthly allocation drop by an average of $153. At a time when food prices are rising, this will make it even more difficult for struggling families to make ends meet.

According to the RI Community Food Bank, one in three households in Rhode Island are food insecure, meaning that they cannot meet their basic food needs, and 41% of households with children are at risk of hunger.

“Washington Trust’s annual Peanut Butter Drive is a longstanding tradition that brings our employees, customers, and our communities together in support of a united mission to help local families struggling with food insecurity,” said Edward O. “Ned” Handy III, Washington Trust Chairman & CEO and President of the Board of Directors at the Rhode Island Community Food Bank. “We are proud to be working with our hunger relief agency partners across three states to ensure this nutritious, family-friendly pantry is readily available to the individuals and families that they serve.”

For the next month, there are four ways community members can support the Peanut Butter Drive:

• Drop off a jar of peanut butter at any Washington Trust branch location. Peanut butter collected at branches will be distributed to local hunger relief agency partners.
• Visit peanutbutterbank.com to make an online donation in support of the Rhode Island Community Food Bank, Connecticut Foodshare, or the Greater Boston Food Bank.
• Sign up to host a collection! Washington Trust will share everything necessary to host a collection at your school, business, organization or in your neighborhood.
• #SpreadTheWord! Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, and share the opportunity to get involved and to give with your networks.

Last week, Washington Trust employees raised more than $4,000 during an annual employee appreciation event, which the Washington Trust Charitable Foundation has pledged to match, dollar for dollar. The Peanut Butter Drive will run in all branch locations and online through Friday, March 31. To learn more and to get involved, visit peanutbutterbank.com.