North Texas Food Bank Peanut Butter Drive Raises Nearly $300,000 and 84,000 Pounds of Peanut Butter
The 11NS annual drive was a success thanks to the support of organizations across NTFB’s 13-county service area.
(Left to right) Trisha Cunningham, NTFB; Callie Wallace and Sara Stewart with Centennial Elementary, Plano ISD; Ritu Krishna, Vijay Asava and Raj Daniels, HungerMitao; Chris Glasscock, Rice Middle School, Plano ISD; Sue Reeves, Eric Hoyle and Julie Wilmoth, Heritage Ranch, Fairview; Matthew Hayes, Amy Dover and Howard Dover, JustServe/Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints; Maria Tu, Plano Mayor Pro Tem; Bing Xie, NiHao Food Bank Initiative; Alex Steele, John Roberts and Kathy Warman, NTT DATA; Kathryn Cope, NTFB.
Nearly $300,000 and more than 84,000 pounds of peanut butter was raised during the North Texas Food Bank’s 11NS annual Peanut Butter Drive, held throughout September.
The totals were announced during an event at the NTFB’s Perot Family Campus on October 22.
“The Peanut Butter Drive is about more than just collecting food; it’s about ensuring that no child in our community goes hungry. We are incredibly grateful for the partnership and support from our community,” said Trisha Cunningham, NTFB President and CEO. “As we continue to distribute record amounts of food, the contributions from the Peanut Butter Drive are vital in providing nutritious options to the nearly 287,000 children facing hunger in North Texas.”
For the third year, the drive included cities, neighborhoods, schools, corporations, faith-based organizations and community groups that mobilized in all of the 13 counties served by the NTFB. Donations will be distributed through the Food Bank’s network of around 500 partner pantries and community organizations as well as its Food 4 Kids backpack program, which sends chronically hungry students home each Friday with a bag of nonperishable food for the weekend.
During the Peanut Butter Drive Reveal Ceremony on October 22, several key contributors were honored for their exceptional efforts:
- Top City: Plano
- Top City Per Capita: Fairview
- Top Company: NTT DATA
- Top Educational Organization: Rice Middle School
- Top Faith-Based Organization: Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
- Top Neighborhood: Heritage Ranch Neighborhood
- Top Community Group: HungerMitao
The daughter of one HungerMitao member, Ariya Daniels, wanted to support the drive and, with the help of her sisters, raised $10,000 for her 12NS birthday. HungerMitao is one of NTFB’s cultural affinity groups.
The top faith-based organization is a multi-year winner, but this year increased their giving by almost three times, raising $9,230 and collecting 1,191 pounds of peanut butter.
In Fairview, which won Top City Per Capita, nearly a pound of peanut butter was raised for every person living in Fairview. That success came, in part, thanks to the work of the Top Neighborhood winner, Heritage Ranch, which together collected 8,408 pounds of peanut butter.
Plano, where the drive started 11 years ago, took the Top City award and Top Educational Organization, as Rice Middle School is in Plano ISD. The city saw participation from multiple departments, schools and organizations.
Kathryn Cope, NTFB Strategic Initiative Manager who organized the drive, also gave a shout out to Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital in Plano, which held a contest among staff for the most creative peanut butter display. Staff used peanut butter jars to create a Harry Potter figure, a heart, a hot air balloon and more, all while collecting 4,251 pounds of peanut butter.
Trisha added that while everyone is a winner in a drive that supports the community like this one, she loves seeing the friendly competition among participants.
“We are so grateful for you, and we can’t wait to do this again next year,” she said.