Grandview Medical Center’s Jars of Love Peanut Butter Drive Collects 361 Jars of Peanut Butter for Two Local Food Banks
3/28/2023
BIRMINGHAM, AL (March 28, 2023) – To help address hunger in our community, and in celebration of National Peanut Butter and Jelly Day on April 2, Grandview Medical Center has donated 361 jars of peanut butter (and other nut butters) to Community Food Bank of Central Alabama and Grace Klein Community.
All of the peanut butter was donated by Grandview’s employees, medical staff members, and volunteers during the recent Jars of Love Peanut Butter Drive.
According to the Alabama Department of Public Health, Alabama is the fifth poorest state in the nation, with 17% of adults and 23% of children (1 out of 4) facing food insecurity, or lack of regular access to enough nutritious food for an active, healthy life. For those with low or no income, rent or mortgage and medicine are usually covered first, leaving little for the food budget and other, more flexible expenses.
The Jars of Love Peanut Butter Drive was launched to help support individuals who are facing food insecurity, which is a social determinant of health.
Food insecurity has a significant impact on a person’s overall health and wellbeing,” said Daniel McKinney, CEO of Grandview. “Through our Jars of Love Peanut Butter Drive, we are working to help fight hunger in our community. Our generous employees really stepped up to be sure we could stock the shelves.”
Peanut butter is one of the most requested items for food banks because it is highly nutritious and has a long shelf life. Unfortunately, many food banks in America report it is also one of the least donated food items.
Other foods needed by food banks include jelly, oatmeal/cereal, granola/protein bars, instant potato flakes, seasoning packets, juice boxes, rice, sugar, salt and much more.
“Grace Klein Community received the donation of peanut butter from Grandview Medical Center when our shelves were empty and we had people to feed. Only God could have coordinated the timing of our need with the timing of the Grandview peanut butter donation,” said Jenny Waltman, CEO, Founder and Chairman of the Board for Grace Klein Community. “We received the peanut butter and immediately distributed to food insecure families in Alabama through our drive thru locations and food distribution partners.
“You can join us in addressing food insecurity by signing up as a food rescue hero at app.foodrescue.us to fill plates and not landfills through our food rescue initiative FeedBHM, collecting non-perishable food and filling a barrel near you at barrel.feedbhm.org, or giving generously at impact.feedbhm.org so we can purchase fresh produce from our Alabama farmers. Let’s be the change we want to see,” said Waltman.
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