The Santa Rosa County University of Florida Institute of Agricultural Sciences Extension Office reports more than 2200 pounds of peanut butter were collected throughout October and November during the UF/ IFAS Peanut Butter Challenge. Thanks to the increased participation, the county extension office collected the most in the Florida Panhandle region.
According to a press release from the Santa Rosa County Public Information Office, a total of 2,259 pounds was collected in 1,477 jars by friends of the SRC Extension office. Civic and faith-based organizations, area businesses, schools, public libraries and county offices collected containers of peanut butter during the challenge which began in early October and ended on November 21.
Residential horticulture agent Mary Derrick, one of the event organizers for the extension office, said this year’s total amount of peanut butter tripled last year’s collected amount. Last year, the county extension office collected a total of 689 pounds.
“We were able to get more participation this year,” she said. “I think (the peanut butter challenge) is gaining more momentum as more people are starting to find out about it.”
The challenge is an annual project of the UF/ IFAS extension office in the Florida Panhandle region along with the Florida Peanut Producers Association. The purpose of the challenge is to help fill the needs of the hungry in our area.
The collected peanut butter will benefit the Bay Area Food Bank, Family Resource of Santa Rosa County and the food pantries at area churches. The Florida Peanut Producers Association will contribute a pallet of peanut butter which will be divided amongst the panhandle region.
Multiple businesses and entities served as collection points during this year’s challenge throughout the county.
According the press release, the average child will eat 1,500 peanut butter and jelly sandwiches before he or she graduates from high school.
This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: Santa Rosa County UF/ IFAS extensions office triples amount in collecting peanut butter