East Texas Food Bank announces “Spread the Love Peanut Butter Drive” Longview versus Tyler competition
Tyler Mayor Don Warren and Longview Mayor Kristen Ishihara are holding a friendly peanut butter competition in September as part of Hunger Action Month.
“Each city will collect jars of peanut butter for the East Texas Food Bank’s pantry partners,” said David Emerson, CEO of the East Texas Food Bank. “Peanut Butter is nutritious, kid-friendly and high in protein and a food item that most East Texans keep in stock. We hope residents of both cities participate to help us fill the shelves of our pantry partners in Longview and Tyler.”
Jars will be collected this month through September 27 in ETFB food barrels in Brookshire’s, Super 1 Foods and FRESH locations in both Tyler and Longview. Donors can also buy jars of peanut butter online at EastTexasFoodBank.org/pbdrive
“Life can get sticky, and sometimes you need a helping hand,” said Tyler Mayor Don Warren. “Let’s support each other as East Texans and spread generosity as smoothly as we spread peanut butter.”
“The East Texas Food Bank has played a tremendous role in supporting our community with the recent opening of their Longview location, as costs have made food insecurity an increased issue,” Longview Mayor Kristen Ishihara said. “Longview is excited to give back to support those efforts and grateful for the partnership of East Texas Food Bank and the City of Tyler.”
Hunger Action Month is held every September as part of Feeding America’s initiative to bring awareness about food insecurity in our communities. In East Texas, 1 in 6 adults and 1 in 4 children are hungry.
“We are thrilled that Brookshire’s is partnering with ETFB and allowing us to place collection barrels in 12 stores located in Tyler and Longview,” said Emerson. “So when you are shopping for groceries you can drop off a jar of peanut butter in one of the barrels. Also we ask any businesses who collect at their location to bring their donations to any of the participating locations by September 26 and we will pick-up at the grocery stores.”
Stores participating include:
- Brookshire’s – 2020 Roseland Blvd in Tyler
- Brookshire’s – 2734 E. 5th St. in Tyler
- Brookshire’s – 100 Rice Rd in Tyler
- FRESH by Brookshire’s – 6991 Old Jacksonville Hwy in Tyler
- Super 1 Foods – 1105 E Gentry Pkwy in Tyler
- Super 1 Foods – 113 NNW Loop 323 in Tyler
- Super 1 Foods – 3828 Troup Hwy in Tyler
- Super 1 Foods – 172 Centennial Pkwy in Tyler
- Brookshire’s – 3354 Gilmer Rd in Longview
- Super 1 Foods – 1217 E Marshall Ave in Longview
- Super 1 Foods – 1800 S High St in Longview
- Super 1 Foods – 2301 W Loop 281 in Longview
Results will be tallied up weekly and posted on the ETFB social media pages and web site, so each city can see how they are doing in the peanut butter competition. “No matter which city collects more jars of peanut butter, everyone is a winner because the food will help East Texans in need,” added Emerson.