TIFTON, Ga.– The Georgia Peanut Commission urges consumers to support the peanut industry by donating jars of peanut butter to the “Stamp out Hunger” food drive on Saturday, May 14. The annual National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) Food Drive — held in conjunction with the Postal Service — is the largest one-day food drive in the nation. The effort will help feed families in all 50 states.

On Saturday, letter carriers in more than 10,000 communities will collect food items and deliver them to local food banks to help some of the millions of Americans, including an estimated 14 million children, who face hunger every day. To find out whether your letter carrier is participating, search the USPS website at www.usps.com for the contact information for your local post office.

Peanut butter is an excellent source of plant protein. With about 8 grams per 2 Tbsp. of peanut butter, a small serving can make a significant contribution to daily protein intake. Peanut butter has an excellent balance of fats. High in mono- and polyunsaturated fats, consumption of peanut butter can contribute to improving cholesterol levels and reducing the risk of disease.

“Peanut butter is a great source of nutrition and an American favorite,” says Armond Morris, chairman of the Georgia Peanut Commission. “Americans consume about 700 million pounds of peanut butter every year. Peanut butter is an inexpensive product available today and a great choice to donate for the “Stamp out Hunger” food drive.”

Donations from last year’s event pushed the overall total since the annual drive began 19 years ago to more than 1 billion pounds. Consumers can help by placing peanut butter next to their mailbox this Saturday to help the 35 million Americans at risk of hunger. For more information, visit www.helpstampouthunger.com.