Peanut Butter Drive

Origins:

Newport Avenue Market partnered with Kendall Auto to fill the shelves of NeighborImpact’s food bank with one of America’s favorite foods: peanut butter.

During the month of May, for every vehicle sold at Kendall Auto Central Oregon, Kendall donated a case (6 jars) of peanut butter to NeighborImpact. In partnership, Newport held an in-store peanut butter drive, asking customers at the register to donate a jar of peanut butter or cash towards the program.

To make the donations stretch even further, Newport used their wholesale buying power to provide the peanut butter at wholesale prices–providing a tremendous boost for NeighborImpact’s shelves.

NeighborImpact’s food bank feeds over 60,000 individuals monthly, including children, families, and older adults living in Crook, Deschutes, and Jefferson counties, and the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs.

Why peanut butter?

Peanut butter is one of the most highly requested items among food banks in the US who often have to purchase it to meet the demand. Peanut butter is shelf-stable, contains 8g of protein per serving, and is loved by kids and adults.

And why now?

In 2023, 1.2 million meals were served to children and teens in the summer lunch programs. This means when kids are not in school, peanut butter and other lunch staples can be available, guaranteeing a nutritious meal all summer.

Contribution:

This community-wide peanut butter drive brought two businesses together for a singular cause and called on grocery and auto shoppers to contribute to joining the efforts. Both Kendall and Newport contributed to the vast marketing of the drive, and each business made contributions towards the greater goal. Kendall donated 6 jars of peanut butter for every vehicle sold and an additional 1 jar for all vehicles serviced at their stores. Then Newport Market hosted a drive in their store that doubled the donation. To top it off, Newport’s ability to purchase the peanut butter at wholesale prices made the contributions stretch to an unprecedented level. It was a community-wide effort that led to the success of the program.

Objectives:

Since 2014 when the program started, the objectives have remained the same:

• Engage the community and local businesses in the giving process.
• Give to a local organization that is helping our local community.
• Put as much peanut butter on food bank shelves as possible.
• Increase the total donations year over year.

“Peanut butter is a special thing,” said Garth Brown, Food Resource Specialist with NeighborImpact, “Partner agencies ask for it regularly, it is high in protein, and it is good quality food that you can actually survive on. We love it when we receive peanut butter as a donation.” It is with this in mind that Newport strives to grow the program, increasing the amount of peanut butter donated each year.

Impact:

The proof is in the peanut butter! After compiling all donations, a whopping 17,986 pounds of peanut butter were donated to NeighborImpact in 2024. This contributed to putting over 9700 jars of peanut butter into the hands of our community—over 1,500 more than last year. This mighty donation contributes to our local summer lunch programs, ensuring students from kindergarten through high school will stay fueled throughout the summertime. “Working in partnership with Kendall and our community members makes the impact of this program go beyond peanut butter,” said Joe Anzaldo, General Manager of Newport Market, “It is a great example of what we can accomplish when we work together.”

Quote:

“No one wants to think of kids going hungry, especially during summertime, when life should be most carefree. But the old adage about many hands making light work is true; coming together, we were able to accomplish even more,” said Lauren G.D. Redman, CEO & President, Newport Avenue Market. “Having a dedicated, community-minded partner like Kendall Auto Group, plus many mission-focused neighbors, helped us make this enormous donation of a much-needed commodity. We’re always grateful to be a part of this annual event and are already planning on how to break the 10,000-jar mark next year.”

Support Statement:

“We could not have done this without our community partners. Newport Market not only provided the PB at cost to Kendall for an opportunity to maximize our impact but hosted the drive in their local grocery store to double the donation. As Kendall collects the Peanut Butter in our dealerships, we are still collecting donations as we work to ensure all kids in our community have a happy, healthy, and safe summer!" said Steve Devere, General Manager.