Peanut Butter Drive Will Gather ‘jars of Love’
3/18/2024
This article was written by Alexa Guadian and originally appeared in the Hood County News on March 16, 2024
Peanut butter is a savory ingredient used in some of our favorite snacks: peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, Nutty Buddy’s and ants on a log; but for many Granbury residents, it’s an opportunity to have food on the table.
Lakeside Physicians and Lake Granbury Medical Center are holding their second annual “Jars of Love” peanut butter drive from March 5-25 in preparation for National Peanut Butter and Jelly Day in April.
“We talked to a lot of the food banks and distribution areas, and they all said peanut butter is just the perfect thing to collect because it has a long shelf life, and it’s very nutritious, very high in protein, and we can keep on the shelves,” said Lake Granbury Medical’s marketing director, Tom
Jensen. “It benefits so many people, not just kids, but adults.”
Mission Granbury, Papa’s Food Pantry in Glen Rose, and Hope Inc. in Stephenville are the chosen collection locations because of their proximity to the clinics and food insecurity surrounding them.
“There really is a need. When we talk to (especially) Mission Granbury, being this is our main hub, you know, it’s really a year-round need. It’s not just at the holidays,” Jensen said. After last year’s drive, Jensen and the clinics are looking from within their health system to find more ways to reach their communities.
Their “employee engagement groups” consist of members from different areas within the system who present the needs of their own communities once a month and brainstorm possible charity solutions.
“Bringing this group into the peanut butter drive has made a huge difference for us, because it’s more feet on the floor. It’s more folks within this group who can go out and help solicit this, get the word out, and really bring the excitement to things like this,” Jensen said.
As of their second week of the drive, the clinics and pantries have collected more than 176 jars and are hopeful to reach their goal of 500, if not more, by the end of the month. Both Lakeside Physicians and Lake Granbury Medical Center participate in several community engagement and service activities with Mission Granbury throughout the year, from free exercise classes where attendees are encouraged to bring canned goods and peanut butter for the pantry, to holiday drives and awareness events.
As the population of Central Texas grows, Jensen asks the current community and its organizations to spread awareness of the resources the clinics and Mission Granbury have to offer to those who could use a helping hand.
“Keep an eye out on our Facebook, YouTube and LinkedIn pages, as well as our Instagram page, because whatever we do in the community next is generally gonna appear on our social media pages,” he said. “We’re happy to help the community in general.”
For more information about “Jars of Love” and its collection centers, email the hospital or visit Mission Granbury’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/missiongranbury.org/.
Back