MILTON — Santa Rosa County peanut butter collection boxes were "jammed up" during the University of Florida/Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Extension Peanut Butter Challenge.
Extension Agents Mary Derick and Chris Verlinde oversaw Santa Rosa's operation, which collected 1,053 jars — approximately 2,055 pounds — for area residents in need.
Donation boxes were made available to employees and patrons of these locations:
- UF/IFAS extension offices in Milton, Jay and Midway
- All five county public libraries and all nine county offices, coordinated by the IT department
- Santa Rosa County Tax Collector
- City of Milton offices
- Jay High and Elementary School
- St. Mary's Episcopal Church in Milton
- Lowe's in Pace and Gulf Breeze
- United Bank locations in Jay, Pace and Milton
- Chumuckla Elementary School
- UWF Student Social Workers Organization
- TR Jackson Pre-K Center
In addition to the local drive, the Florida Peanut Producers Association will donate four pallets of peanut butter to be distributed across Northwest Florida.
More than 400 jars were given to families who participated in the Nov. 22 Farm to City event in Milton, with the remainder going to local food pantries including Family Resources, Feeding the Gulf Coast and various area churches.
This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: Santa Rosa County collects a ton of peanut butter for those in need