Dallas, TX, Oct. 30, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The North Texas Food Bank (NTFB) announced the results of its 10th Annual Peanut Butter Drive that took place throughout September as part of Hunger Action Month. The 2023 campaign raised 343,065 pounds of peanut butter.
For the second consecutive year, the North Texas Food Bank expanded the drive to include all 13 counties that the North Texas Food Bank serves, bringing together cities, neighborhoods, corporations, faith-based groups, and other organizations to collect jars of peanut butter that can then be distributed through the North Texas Food Bank’s Food 4 Kids backpack program and its feeding network of about 500 partner agencies and organizations. Peanut butter is a healthy, kid-friendly and shelf-stable item that is an important component of nutritional charitable food assistance.
The following recipients were recognized at the Peanut Butter Drive Reveal Ceremony for collecting the most peanut butter in their categories:
- Top City - Plano
- Top City Per Capita - Fairview
- Top Company - NTT DATA
- Top Educational Organization - Rice Middle School
- Top Faith-Based Organization - Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
- Top Neighborhood - Heritage Ranch Neighborhood
- Top Community Group - Nihao
“We are so grateful for the community’s enthusiasm and support of our annual Peanut Butter Drive,” said Trisha Cunningham, President and CEO of the North Texas Food Bank. “As the North Texas Food Bank continues to distribute record levels of food, the support of the peanut butter drive helps us provide nutritious food to the more than 218,000 children facing hunger in North Texas.”
As in the past, the Peanut Butter Drive is led by a committee dedicated to fighting childhood hunger. Each of the committee members not only coordinated a drive but also personally reached out to multiple organizations and individuals encouraging the community to get involved. The 2023 Peanut Butter Drive Committee consisted of:
- Raj & Anna Asava – HungerMitao
- Justin Bitner – Ryan LLC
- Nikki Butler Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints – Allen
- Ken Crawford – Northway Christian Church
- Dustin Davis – Ryan LLC
- Breon Dennis - Frisco Rough Riders
- Rick Grady – Former Plano City Council
- James Huang - Nihao: Food Bank Initiative
- Ron Johnson - Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints – Plano
- Kay Maxwell - First Unitarian Church of Dallas
- Jennifer Meldrum - Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints – Allen
- Trey Pierce - Frisco Rough Riders
- Noelle Rivera - Northway Christian Church
- Kathy Warman - NTT DATA
“I want to recognize all who supported Hunger Action Month and the Peanut Butter Drive, including the Peanut Butter Drive Committee, all the cities who supported the drive with the promotional video, proclamations, hosting drives and spreading the word in your communities including Allen, Carrollton, Desoto, Fairview, Fate, Frisco, Kemp, Lavon, McKinney, Plano, Princeton, Prosper, Richardson and Sachse. We are grateful to all the mayors and committee members who support this campaign and help advance our mission of providing food for today and hope for tomorrow,” continued Cunningham.
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About North Texas Food Bank
The North Texas Food Bank (NTFB) is a top-ranked non-profit hunger-relief organization that sources, packages and distributes food through a network of nearly 500 Partner Agencies and organizations across 13 North Texas counties. The organization also provides food to children, seniors and families through various direct-delivery programs, including mobile pantries.
In its last fiscal year, the NTFB provided access to more than 144 million nutritious meals or nearly 400,000 meals a day, a 5% percent increase over the prior year. The North Texas Food Bank is designated a 4-Star Exceptional organization by Charity Navigator based on its governance, integrity and financial stability, and is ranked 87th on Forbes 2022 Top 100 Charities in America. NTFB is a member of Feeding America, the nation’s largest hunger-relief organization.
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