This year, the high school’s PALS program is participating in The North Texas Food Bank’s goal of collecting 300,000 pounds of peanut butter.
“Ms. Arnold passed along that there was an opportunity for us,” PALS teacher Kyle Herrema said. “The North Texas Food Bank has a yearly peanut butter drive. It’s a fairly nutritious food and is inexpensive as well.”
In order to spread awareness on food insecurity, The North Texas Food Bank participates in September’s Hunger Action Month. According to The North Texas Food Bank, they collect peanut butter because it is “a shelf-stable, kid-friendly protein.”
“One of the PALS jobs is community service, and [the drive] is a small thing we can do to help the community. Something to give opportunities to eat, especially those affected by COVID,” Herrema said.
With the PALS program being the main contributor of the school, they have already collected around 300 pounds of peanut butter. “We have had a few teachers and basketball players donate, too. We also sent out a note to the district,” Herrema said.
“The drive involves all of North Texas and includes many communities,” senior PALS member Aidan Abramson said.
The North Texas Food Bank asks for “regular-sized, plastic jars” of peanut butter to be donated by any company or organization willing to help.
“I think it’s good that we are helping to achieve the goal,” junior PALS member Malia Bowling said. “It’s important to make people who are food insecure feel heard and noticed.”
