Havre Ford collecting peanut butter for food bank

The people at Havre Ford hope they can fill a  pickup with peanut butter to help fill the shelves of the Havre Food Bank.

Ford dealerships throughout the country are taking part in the program.

They are asking people throughout the community to donate jars of peanut butter. They simply have to put their donations in a F-150 pickup truck parked at Havre Ford.

Last year, at the end of the drive, the truck was half full, said Kaylene Breen of Havre Ford. "This year, we hope to do better than that."

This year, she said, the program started May 4. It will end on Thursday.

Ford decided to concentrate on peanut butter because there is a special problem with hunger among young people in the summer when they don't have access to free food programs because schools are closed.

Nearly a quarter of children can't be sure where their next meal is coming from during the summer, she said.

Lorna Bjerga, manager of the food bank, said she appreciates the effort Havre Ford is putting into the project and hopes people will be generous in contributing.

Peanut butter is the perfect food for this kind of project, she said.

Kids can prepare it easily by spreading it on bread or crackers, she said.

It's nutritious and kids love it, she said. Peanut butter contains lots of protein which young people need.