Washington Trust Partners with Local Hunger Relief Organizations for Annual Peanut Butter Drive
May 06, 2021
When Washington Trust’s Peanut Butter Drive was first created more than 20 years ago, it was in response to a challenge that local hunger relief organizations were facing. After the holiday season came to an end, organizations saw a sharp decrease in regular donations of both food and funds. Food pantries were having trouble keeping their shelves full to serve the families that continued to rely on them for help. Thus, the annual Peanut Butter Drive was born! Since the Drive’s inception in 2000, Washington Trust has collected more than 143 tons of peanut butter—enough to make 4.5 million peanut butter sandwiches!
The Need:
The need for a family-friendly, highly nutritious food item with long-shelf life is greater than ever—especially since the pandemic has once again decimated food bank shelves. And, while one jar of peanut butter can make many meals, it is an expensive food item, and therefore considered a “luxury” item for families on a tight budget. The demand for food assistance as a result of COVID-19 has increased by 26% in the last year alone, and the unfortunate reality is that now, 1 in 4 households in RI lack adequate food.
How You Can Help:
Washington Trust has partnered with local hunger relief organizations to help stock their shelves with peanut butter! Our customers and communities have also come out in full force to support the initiative, as they have done every year. Washington Trust is proud to continue to partner with hunger relief agencies who are serving families throughout our footprint. The partners for the 2021 Peanut Butter Drive are:
- Coventry Community Food Bank, Coventry, RI
- Comprehensive Community Action Program, Cranston, RI
- Good Neighbors Soup Kitchen, Food Pantry and Day Shelter, Riverside, RI
- Jonnycake Center of Peace Dale, Peace Dale, RI
- Jonnycake Center of Westerly, Westerly, RI
- New Hope Chapel, Richmond, RI
- North Kingstown Food Pantry, North Kingstown, RI
- Operation Stand Down, Johnston, RI
- Pawcatuck Neighborhood Center, Pawcatuck, CT
- Rhode Island Center Assisting those in Need, Charlestown, RI
- The Rhode Island Community Food Bank, Providence, RI
- Tri-County Community Action Agency, North Providence, RI
- WARM Center, Westerly, RI
Full details for how to make a donation of food or of funds, and contact information for these organizations, can be found here.
Help #SpreadTheWord and visit www.peanutbutterbank.com for more information!