LONGVIEW, Texas — The mayors of Tyler and Longview are engaging in a friendly competition this September to help East Texans who are hungry and facing food insecurity.
Tyler Mayor Don Warren and Longview Mayor Kristen Ishihara are trying to see which city can collect the most jars of peanut butter for the East Texas Food Bank as a part of Hunger Action Month.
“Each city will collect jars of peanut butter for the East Texas Food Bank’s pantry partners,” said David Emerson, CEO of the East Texas Food Bank. “Peanut butter is nutritious, kid-friendly and high in protein and a food item that most East Texans keep in stock. We hope residents of both cities participate to help us fill the shelves of our pantry partners in Longview and Tyler.”
The jars can be dropped off through Sept. 27 in ETFB food barrels in Brookshire’s, Super 1 Foods and Fresh locations in both Tyler and Longview. Donors can purchase jars of peanut butter online at EastTexasFoodBank.org/pbdrive.
“Life can get sticky, and sometimes you need a helping hand,” Warren said. “Let's support each other as East Texans and spread generosity as smoothly as we spread peanut butter.”
Ishihara said the East Texas Food Bank has played in a significant role in the community with the recent opening of its Longview location as inflation has made food insecurity a larger issue.
“Longview is excited to give back to support those efforts and grateful for the partnership of East Texas Food Bank and the city of Tyler," she said.
Hunger Action Month is every September as a way for Feeding America to bring awareness about food insecurity locally. In East Texas, one in six adults and one in four children are hungry.
“We are thrilled that Brookshire’s is partnering with ETFB and allowing us to place collection barrels in 12 stores located in Tyler and Longview,” Emerson said. “So when you are shopping for groceries you can drop off a jar of peanut butter in one of the barrels. Also we ask any businesses who collect at their location to bring their donations to any of the participating locations by Sept. 26 and we will pick up at the grocery stores.”
Stores participating include:
- Brookshire’s – 2020 Roseland Blvd in Tyler
- Brookshire’s – 2734 E. 5th St. in Tyler
- Brookshire’s – 100 Rice Rd in Tyler
- Fresh by Brookshire’s – 6991 Old Jacksonville Hwy in Tyler
- Super 1 Foods – 1105 E Gentry Pkwy in Tyler
- Super 1 Foods – 113 NNW Loop 323 in Tyler
- Super 1 Foods – 3828 Troup Hwy in Tyler
- Super 1 Foods – 172 Centennial Pkwy in Tyler
- Brookshire’s – 3354 Gilmer Rd in Longview
- Super 1 Foods – 1217 E Marshall Ave in Longview
- Super 1 Foods – 1800 S High St in Longview
- Super 1 Foods – 2301 W Loop 281 in Longview
Results will be shared on the ETFB social media pages and website weekly to see how each city is performing in the peanut butter competition.
“No matter which city collects more jars of peanut butter, everyone's a winner because the food will help East Texans in need,” Emerson said.