Cookeville Food Bank Spreads The Love This September

September is National Hunger Awareness Month, and Food to the Rescue is asking for help spreading the love, with a jar of peanut butter.

Food to the Rescue’s Family Outreach Coordinator Robin Twitty said the tornadoes and pandemic have brought food insecurity to the forefront for Putnam County. Twitty said during September, 16 ounce jars of peanut butter are being collected to include in every kids meal box for its Spread The Love Month.

Twitty said over 100 new kids started using Food to the Rescue’s meal program, increasing the need for volunteers and donations.

“First of all, money and donations to help buy food. Secondly we can always use volunteers, different groups to come help pack the food, we need volunteers to help deliver the food,” Twitty said.

Twitty said its goal is to collect 4,500 peanut butter jars and 180 jars of nut alternatives. These jars will not just be for September though. Twitty said this is an all year distribution, as they prepare for Fall Break.

“Typically, the Thursday before the kids get out for Spring Break, Fall Break and Winter break, we do a distribution to cover that whole break,” Twitty said.

There are 6 distributions throughout the year, and half of those take place during the Summer break.

Twitty said the easiest way to donate is to contact Food to the Rescue and arrange a pick up or drop off time.