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Washington Trust’s 23rd Annual Peanut Butter Drive Reports Tons of Success

May 03, 2023


The Washington Trust Company collected more than 1,800 jars of peanut butter and raised $8,294 to benefit food bank partners across RI, MA and CT during its 23rd annual Peanut Butter Drive. The funds collected will help source the equivalent of approximately 3,900 jars of peanut butter; collectively, the drive brought in more than 2.9 tons of this family-favorite food item!

The event kicked off at an employee appreciation celebration in early March where Washington Trust employees donated more than $4,000 to food bank partners. The Washington Trust Charitable Foundation matched employee fundraising efforts dollar-for-dollar. Customers and community members were invited to support the Peanut Butter Drive by bringing jars to any Washington Trust branch location throughout the month of March.

“We are proud of this annual tradition that provides support to hunger relief agencies and those facing food insecurity throughout our footprint,” said Edward O. “Ned” Handy III, Washington Trust Chairman & CEO and President of the Board of Directors for the Rhode Island Community Food Bank. “Right now, it is even harder for struggling families to make ends meet. Food prices remain elevated and many who receive assistance through the federal SNAP program are also seeing reductions in their monthly allocations due to the expiration of the COVID-19 emergency funding supplements. We’re happy to be able to help fill in some gaps for struggling families through this initiative.”

Since launching the drive in 2001, Washington Trust has collected more than 159 tons of peanut butter through this annual effort; that’s enough to make more than 5 million peanut butter sandwiches!

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