‘Spread The Love’: Tyler, Longview mayors competing to collect peanut butter

TYLER, Texas ( KETK ) – Longview Mayor Kristen Ishihara and Tyler Mayor Don Warren are competing in a monthlong drive to collect the most peanut butter for the East Texas Food Bank.

“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.”

East Texans can donate peanut butter to the ETFB barrels that will be set up at Brookshire’s, Super 1 Foods and Fresh locations throughout Longview and Tyler until Sept. 27.

“Life can get sticky, and sometimes you need a helping hand,” said Tyler Mayor Don Warren. “Let’s support each other as East Texans and spread generosity as smoothly as we spread peanut butter.”

“The East Texas Food Bank has played a tremendous role in supporting our community with the recent opening of their Longview location, as costs have made food insecurity an increased issue,” Longview Mayor Kristen Ishihara said. “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.”

The friendly inter-city competition is picking up plenty of peanut butter as a part of Hunger Action Month, a part of Feeding America’s effort to spread awareness of food insecurity.

“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,” said Emerson. “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 pickup at the grocery stores.”

The East Texas Food Bank will update the totals that each city raises weekly on their website and Facebook .

“No matter which city collects more jars of peanut butter, everyone is a winner because the food will help East Texans in need,” added Emerson.

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