Longview wins the Spread the Love Peanut Butter Drive, collecting 8,657 pounds to aid East Texas families. Community donations raised $16,121 for the food bank.
LONGVIEW, Texas — The great peanut butter collecting challenge is over and a champion was crowned Monday.
Representatives from the East Texas Food Bank were in Longview to crown the winners of the third annual Spread the Love Peanut Butter Drive.
The friendly challenge is between the cities of Longview and Tyler to see which city could collect the most peanut butter to help feed East Texans in need. Longview collected a record 8,657 pounds of the nutritious and protein rich smooth or chunky food, while Tyler tallied 4,783 pounds during the month-long contest.
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The total amount donated reached 13,440 pounds. According to the food bank, community members’ donations raised $16,121 by purchasing jars of peanut butter at local stores or online.
“I’m excited to have Longview be the champion again, but also just supporting all of our local community that that could use extra support and feeding their families. I think there’s real engagement from the whole city of Longview and surrounding community to to be supportive of the effort and to support our local families and our local food bank,” said Longview Mayor Kristen Ishihara.
East Texas Food Bank representatives said peanut butter is a shelf stable, child friendly superfood is not often donated, and drives like this one help to keep the shelves at the food bank stocked with peanut butter.
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