UF/IFAS Extension Polk County’s Annual Peanut Butter Challenge

Join the Peanut Butter Challenge: Spread the Love!

Three children sharing peanut butter and snacks at a dining table. Photo taken 07-24-20. Credit: University of Florida
Three children sharing peanut butter and snacks at a dining table. Photo taken 07-24-20. Credit: UF/IFAS

Get ready to go nuts for a great cause! The Peanut Butter Challenge is back and and it’s more exciting than ever! Hosted by UF/IFAS Extension and Florida A&M University (FAMU) Cooperative Extension, this annual jar collection is all about giving back to our community, just in time for the holidays. This year, donations are due by November 27th!

This friendly competition among counties was conceived as a way to feed hungry families ahead of the holidays in addition to promoting a Florida-grown crop. However, the real winners of this challenge are those in need in your county! To see where you can bring donations, check out the Donation Locations listed below under the “How to Get Involved” section.


This Year’s Exciting Partnership: KidsPACK, Inc.  ✨

 

We’re thrilled to announce that donations will benefit KidsPACK, Inc., an amazing organization providing vital food support for school pantries in Polk County each month. Amy Royal, Program Manager of KidsPACK, says,

Since 2022, we’ve seen a rise in school food pantries because school meals and KidsPACK weekend meals aren’t enough. Peanut butter is a nutritious and cost-effective way to provide protein, and many churches donate jelly and bread to create easy meal options. A single jar of peanut butter goes a long way in helping keep our kids’ bellies full.”

Tubs of donated peanut butter for the Peanut Butter Challenge.
Tubs of donated peanut butter for the Peanut Butter Challenge. Credit: UF/IFAS

Last year, Polk County collected an impressive 702 jars, totaling nearly 1,000 pounds of peanut butter goodness. This year, let’s crush that record! The more jars we collect, the more kids we can help, so let’s work together and show our community some love.

Let’s make this year’s Peanut Butter Challenge the best one yet!

A heartfelt thank you to the Florida Peanut Producers Association and Florida Peanut Federation for their ongoing support. Together, we can help keep our community strong and full!


How to Get Involved:

 

Ready to make a difference? Here’s how you can help!

  1. To join or partner with Polk County’s collection this year, call (863) 519-1041.
  2. Donate unopened jars of peanut butter at any of the Donation Locations listed below:
  • UF/IFAS Extension Polk County
    1702 S. Holland Parkway, Bartow, FL 33830
  • Winter Haven Public Library
    325 Avenue A NW, Winter Haven, FL 33881
  • Lakeland Public Library Main
    100 Lake Morton Dr, Lakeland, FL 33801
  • Haines City Public Library
    111 N 6th St, Haines City, FL 33844
  • Sheriff’s Operations Center
    1891 Jim Keene Blvd, Winter Haven, FL 33880
  • Any Polk County District Sheriff’s Office:
    • Northwest District: 1045 Wedgewood Estates Blvd, Lakeland, FL 33809
    • Central District: 3635 Avenue G NW, Winter Haven, FL 33880
    • Northeast District: 1100 Dunson Rd, Davenport, FL 33896
    • Southwest District: 4120 US Hwy 98 South, Lakeland, FL 33801
    • Southeast District: 4011 Sgt. Mary Campbell Way, Lake Wales, FL 33859
    • Central County Jail: 2390 Bob Phillips Rd, Bartow, FL 33830
    • South County Jail: 1103 US-98, Frostproof, FL 33843

For More Information visit: go.ufl.edu/pbc.

You can also follow along on social media, at https://www.facebook.com/PolkExtension/.

Two Pieces of bread. One with Peanut Butter, the other with jelly. Both on a green plate with more pieces of bread in the background and a jar of peanut butter and jelly.
Bread on a plate, one with Jelly and the other with Peanut Butter. Credit: UF/IFAS
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Posted: November 6, 2024


Category: 4-H & Youth, Agriculture, Events, Health & Nutrition, Home Landscapes, Natural Resources, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, , Work & Life
Tags: Charity, Donate, Featured, Florida Peanut Federation, Florida Peanut Producers Association, Food Banks, Food Pantries, PBChallenge, Peanut Butter, Peanut Butter Challenge, Polk County, PolkExtension, PolkPBChallenge, Spread The Love, Spread The Peanut Butter


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