News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
Putnam County Food to the Rescue needs your help to “Spread The Love” with peanut butter.
The organization taking donations of 16 ounce jars of peanut butter for the entire month of September as part of its drive. Site Coordinator Serina Wells said they need the community’s help.
“We ask that people come and please join us to spread the love to our community’s children in need,” Wells said. “Your jar of peanut butter, sponsorship or hands could make the difference to a child who is wondering where there next meal is going to come from.”
Food to the Rescue feeds 600 children in Putnam County and 200 in Overton County. The goal of the program is to collect enough jars of peanut butter to include one in every distribution box this year. That will be 4,800 jars of peanut butter if the the peanut butter food drive is a success.
“We try to give good, quality, round meals in our distributions and so peanut butter is a really great source of protein and kids love it,” Wells said. “We even have alternative peanut butter for those who have allergies.”
Wells said if you don’t have peanut butter on hand to donate, there are other ways to help.
“We love those helping hands that come in to help us do this work,” Wells said. “We are all community funded, so monetary donation are a necessity. We are sponsored by businesses and individuals, so we do take monetary donations.”
Food the the Rescue is an all-volunteer program and utilizes 150 volunteers. The organization was founded by the programs director Ashley Swann.
“We built a play ground together,” Wells said. “After we were done with that, she said she had the feeling, the calling, to feed kids. I said I’m helping you. I didn’t ask.”
Jars of peanut butter can be dropped off at partnered banks, businesses and churches. To volunteer, donate, or to find a list of partnered businesses and churches go to Food to the Rescue’s social media pages.
