Food Bank, Havre Daily partner in peanut butter drive

The Havre Daily News and the Havre Food Bank are partnering this year for the Food Bank's annual peanut butter drive.

The drive began Tuesday and will run through Friday, Oct. 11. 

Food Bank Manager Samantha Nimmick said the Food Bank does a peanut butter drive every year as part of national sponsorship.

"Peanut butter is a staple item that we try to provide in our food boxes. It provides a great source of protein and it's really easy for just anyone able to use peanut butter," she said.

She added that peanut butter is perfect for anything and can be used for bread, celery, apples and more.

"Peanut butter is so versatile and it's a great thing to be able to provide to our clients in our box because just that one jar of peanut butter depending on the size can provide like two to three weeks of meals just in itself," she said. "It isn't all we would want you to eat, but it does allow that to box extend further."

Nimmick said the boxes the Food Bank provides their clients provide seven meals from each box, and eligible families receive these boxes every other month.

She added that the food bank normally does the peanut butter drive in the spring, but was unable to do it this year and provided other sources of protein in the boxes such as canned beans, dried beans, canned tuna, and right now the food bank has canned chicken and pork they can put in the boxes.

She said those are items that not everyone knows what to do with or how to use them and peanut butter is user-friendly and very versatile.

"We are hoping to stock our shelves and be able to make it through the winter and the spring with that," Nimmick said.

Nimmick added that all the food bank's clients have a huge need for all kinds of foods. She said needs vary by month. August of this year was rather slow, but July of this year was extremely busy, and, so far, September has picked up quite a bit.

"There is always a huge need," she said.

She added that during the holidays such as Thanksgiving and Christmas the Food Bank works in conjunction with Salvation Army-Havre to put together food boxes that contain food such as: 

• Yams or sweet potatoes

• Mashed potatoes

• Cream of mushroom soup

• Green beans

• French fried onions

• Rolls

• Butter

• Ham or turkey, depending on client preference and what the food bank has available

• Canned fruit, which Nimmick said the food bank is very low on and needs donations of

• Gravy

• Cranberry

She added that anything else that people can think of as a staple item for Thanksgiving and Christmas things.

She said the Food Bank is happy with any donations they receive and their purpose is to help support hungry families in the community as trying to put a stop to hunger.

"We are really excited to partner with The Havre Daily News this year to do a peanut butter drive," Nimmick said.

People can drop their peanut butter donations off at The Havre Daily News at 119 Second Street or Havre Food Bank at 453 Seventh Ave. North, just past the Milk River Bridge.

If people drop their donations at the food bank, Nimmink said, they should drop them off outside of the food bank between 8:30 a.m. and 1 p.m.