FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact:
Donna B. Ragan
dragan@secondharvestmetrolina.org
704-805-1724 or 704-408-4527
Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina Calls on the Community to Join Together in Ending Hunger During HUNGER ACTION MONTH
1st Annual SPREAD THE LOVE Peanut Butter & Jelly Food/Fund Drive in September with a Goal of 5,000 Pounds and $10,000 in Funds to Purchase Product
Charlotte, NC – August 18, 2025 - September is Hunger Action Month and Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina will be raising awareness and inspiring action in the 24 counties they serve (14 in NC and 10 in SC). Every action counts, whether it’s donating, advocating, volunteering or spreading the word online. This year, the Food Bank is holding their 1st Annual SPREAD THE LOVE Peanut Butter & Jelly Food / Fund Drive and is asking the communities, businesses, organizations, and individuals in the 24 counties they serve, to unite and host a drive for their most needed item – peanut butter – a nutritious, child and senior friendly, and shelf-stable food item. These donations will be distributed through their Child and Senior Hunger Programs, which include the Backpack, Kids Café, and senior box programs along with the network of over 950 food pantries and partner agencies that Second Harvest serves.
Kay Carter, CEO of Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina, highlighted the need: “The number of people struggling with hunger in our service area is staggering with over 151,000 of those being children and 57,000 are seniors. This drive is crucial in helping us bridge the hunger gap through the simple yet impactful gift of peanut butter.” Residents and businesses can contribute by participating in a virtual food drive or donating plastic jars of peanut butter (and of course, jelly). Details for hosting and promoting a virtual drive with friends or colleagues’ are available at www.shmetrolinapbjdrive.org. Every dollar donated to the campaign helps SHFBM purchase additional peanut butter and jelly for families in need.
How can you help? There are several ways:
- Host a Peanut Butter & Jelly Food Drive - it’s as easy as 1.2.3! Challenge your workplace, church group, civic organization, scout group, school, etc. to donate peanut butter and jelly throughout the month of September.
- Host a Peanut Butter & Jelly Fund Drive - use our peer-to-peer fundraising platform - OneCause, and raise dollars - did you know for every $1 donated, we can purchase 7 pounds of peanut butter and/or jelly? Consider how far your monetary donations would go to help feed children, families, seniors, and veterans.
- Shop our Amazon Wishlist and have your donations delivered directly to the Food Bank’s main warehouse at 500-B Spratt Street in Charlotte. Click here to start shopping.
Jars of any brand of any size of PLASTIC peanut butter, nut butter, and/or jelly can also be dropped off at the Food Bank’s main office, located at 500-B Spratt Street in Charlotte, from 7:30AM – 5:00 PM. Additionally, donations can also be taken to our branch locations as follows:
Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina – Rowan Branch (NC): 385 Airport Road, Salisbury, NC 28147. 704-805-1746. Hours: Monday – Friday 7:00AM-4:30PM.
Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina – Spartanburg Branch (SC): 1503 Old Converse Road, Spartanburg, SC 29307. 704-293-1755. Hours: Monday-Friday 7:00AM-3:00PM (Friday hours can differ due to off-site mobile distributions, so please call ahead.)
Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina – Anderson Branch (SC): 311 Alliance Parkway, Williamston, SC 29697. 864-222-9510. Hours: Monday-Friday 7:30AM-4:00PM.
For more information on how to get involved in the Hunger Action Month Spread the Love Drive, visit www.shmetrolinapbjdrive.org or email Donor Relations, Marketing & Communications Manager, Donna Ragan at dragan@secondharvestmetrolina.org.
About Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina: As part of Feeding America, Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina - serves 24 counties in North and South Carolina. In FY 2023-2024, Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina distributed almost 90 million pounds of food and household items, which included over 54 million pounds in fresh produce, meat, and dairy, to over 950 hunger feeding agencies including emergency pantries, soup kitchens, senior programs, shelters and low- income daycares. Follow the Food Bank on: Facebook, X, Instagram, Linkedin, and YouTube.