Jars of Love Peanut Butter Drive Collects 560 Jars of Peanut Butter for Three Area Food Banks
4/7/2023
BULLHEAD CITY – To help address hunger in our community, and in celebration of National Peanut Butter and Jelly Day on April 2, Western Arizona Regional Medical Center has donated more than 500 jars of peanut butter (and other nut butters) to three area food banks in the Tri-state.
All of that peanut butter was donated by WARMC’s employees, medical staff, and Senior Circle members during the recent Jars of Love Peanut Butter Drive.
The Jars of Love Peanut Butter Drive was launched to help support individuals who are facing food insecurity, which is a social determinant of health.
“Food insecurity has a significant impact on a person’s overall health and wellbeing,” Brent Parsons, WARMC CEO. “Through our Jars of Love Peanut Butter Drive, we are working to help fight hunger in our community. Our generous employees - and even some patients - really stepped up to help us well-exceed our original goal of 200 jars.
“We were happy to learn we had donated enough peanut butter to make more than 10,500 peanut butter and jelly sandwiches,” Parsons said
Peanut butter is one of the most requested items for food banks because it is highly nutritious and has a long shelf life. Unfortunately, many food banks in America report it is also one of the least donated food items. Other foods needed by food banks include canned goods and boxed cereal, according to George Deleon, of St. Vincent de Paul, which handles the food bank in Needles.
“We are very thankful. This donation came at a perfect time,” DeLeon said, adding that Needles has been declared a food desert, due to unavailability of fresh produce and other essential foods.
Peanut butter was divided between St Vincent De Paul in Needles; Food For Families, a Bullhead City food ban; and the Colorado River Food Bank in Laughlin. The Laughlin food bank chose to take the larger containers collected, as they make peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for lunch bag distribution.
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