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Peanut Butter to arrive in Haiti this Friday
DOTHAN, Alabama - In a remarkable response to the devastation of Haiti from the recent earthquake, the U.S. peanut industry has come together to show their concern and to offer their support in the way they can be most useful - by sending truckloads of peanut butter to the people of Haiti. Peanut butter is the perfect food in a situation like this since it does not have to be refrigerated, does not require cooking, and delivers a nutritional punch that is life-sustaining.
The project, Peanut Butter for Haiti, was initiated by Barton Rice, executive director of Early County 2055, a Blakely, Ga., non-profit organization, who stepped forward with the first financial pledge to deliver peanut butter to Haiti. The project quickly expanded when Lisa Collins of Early County 2055, contacted several peanut organization leaders to obtain advice on the best way to purchase the peanut butter and have it shipped to Haiti.
Word about the project soon spread and within two days of the projects formation donations have reached $67,000. As of this past Monday, $70,000 had been received in pledges.
Jeff Johnson, president of Birdsong Peanuts said, "I believe we could send1 million servings of peanut butter!"
The peanut coalition is working with Tara Foods (Kroger) and ConAgra (Peter Pan) to obtain the peanut butter. The J.M. Smucker Company donated one truckload of peanut butter.
Two truckloads of peanut butter (almost 75,000 lbs) have been delivered to Norfolk, Va. and loaded on a military ship, USS Sacagawea. The peanut butter will arrive this Friday, January 22, 2010 in Haiti and distributed through Operation Blessing.
The next load of peanut butter will be delivered next week to Miami for transfer to Haiti. A final donor list will be published later. In addition to the Alabama Peanut Producers Association, several organizations and individuals have made pledges. But the donations are still coming in. Anyone interested in donating to this effort can send tax deductible contributions to: EC 2055 - PNB for Haiti, P.O. Box 725, Blakely, GA 39823. Make checks payable to: "Early County 2055" and note "pnb for Haiti."
Most importantly, please email your donation information to the Alabama Peanut Producers Association (twilson@alpeanuts.com) or Sally Tabb Wells, (stabb@birdsong-peanuts.com) or Lisa Collins at EC2055 (lcollins@earlycounty2055.com).
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