Va. Peanut Growers deliver enormous peanut butter donation to food banks

To honor March as National Peanut Month, the Virginia Peanut Board and Virginia Peanut Growers Association are teamed with Peanut Proud to contribute pallets of peanut butter to the Federation of Virginia Food Banks, a partner state association of Feeding America.

National Peanut Month is an opportunity to recognize the versatility of the humble peanut. From Virginia’s famous gourmet peanuts in shells to peanut butter, a variety of products are made from peanuts or use them as an ingredient. This is mainly due to the important nutritional attributes that peanuts provide.

A peanut butter sandwich, so simple to make, is packed with protein, vitamins, minerals, folate and other benefits for the body.

2023 is the 13th year that Virginia’s peanut growers have contributed at least 2,880 o kick off the March celebration. This year the donation increased significantly with an 18-pallet contribution of 25,920 jars from Peanut Proud, an industry sponsored charitable organization that reacts to existing needs, whether it be for food banks in the peanut growing states or disaster relief. Peanut Proud has been involved with the Virginia Peanut Growers’ donation during each of the last nine years.

Virginia’s seven regional food banks will all benefit from this contribution and will distribute the peanut butter throughout their network of 1,350 pantries, soup kitchens, and other partner agencies.

“Peanut butter is at the top of the list of needed products for most food banks” said Dell Cotton, Executive Secretary of the Virginia Peanut Growers Association. “The nutritional benefits of our industry’s most popular product makes it a necessity for the people who are served by food banks. I hope others will follow our lead and contribute much needed food items, including peanut butter, to their local food relief organization. We are so fortunate that Peanut Proud was able to increase our donation by so much this year. Our state’s entire feeding network will benefit from this.

“This is the largest peanut butter donation to our network in recent memory and comes at a critical time,” said Eddie Oliver, Executive Director of the Federation of Virginia Food Banks. “Higher costs at the grocery store are straining the budgets of our food insecure neighbors and our pantry lines are growing. We are more grateful than ever for the support from our friends at the Virginia Peanut Growers Association,

The Federation of Virginia Food Banks is a 501(c*3) nonprofit state association of food banks affiliated with Feeding America. The Federation supports the seven regional Virginia/Washington DC food banks in building partnerships, securing resources, sharing data, and raising awareness of food insecurity throughout the Commonwealth.