News Press Releases

Washington Trust Collects 2.5 Tons of Peanut Butter

WASH | April 25, 2024

2024 Marked Bank's 24th Annual Peanut Butter Drive

WESTERLY, R.I., April 25, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Washington Trust Company ("the Bank") today announced the 24th Annual Washington Trust Peanut Butter Drive (the "Drive") resulted in collecting approximately 2.5 tons of peanut butter to benefit the Rhode Island Community Food Bank, Connecticut Foodshare, the Greater Boston Food Bank, and various local food pantries across the Bank's footprint in RI, MA and CT. This year's drive included the collection of more than 2,700 jars of peanut butter and monetary donations of approximately $4,000, which is the equivalent of approximately 2,300 jars of peanut butter. Since launching the drive in 2001, Washington Trust has collected more than 161 tons of peanut butter.

The Drive kicked off in late February with Washington Trust employees donating peanut butter at the Bank's annual employee appreciation celebration. Customers and community members then supported the Drive throughout March by bringing jars to Washington Trust's 27 branch locations. Donors also made online monetary contributions directly to the food banks websites and the Washington Trust Charitable Foundation matched, dollar-for-dollar, all online contributions.

"Washington Trust is committed to supporting organizations that provide hunger relief to those facing food insecurity in our communities," said Edward O. "Ned" Handy III, Washington Trust Chairman & CEO and former President of the Board of Directors for the Rhode Island Community Food Bank. "We're proud to spearhead this annual event that brings together our employees, customers, and community members in a united mission to help families struggling to make ends meet, especially during these challenging economic times."

Satellite collections were also hosted in partnership with local businesses, schools, and community organizations including, the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners- RI Chapter (Providence, RI), B&B Dockside (Westerly, RI), Charlestown Mini-Super (Charlestown, RI), City of Cranston Parks & Recreation Department (Cranston, RI), Hendricken High School (Warwick, RI), JR Scallops (Mystic, CT), Literacy Volunteers of Washington County (Westerly, RI), North Providence High School (North Providence, RI), Pat's Power Equipment (Charlestown, RI), Pond View Raquet Club (Westerly, RI), the Providence Police Department (Providence, RI), Rippy's Liquor & Marketplace (Charlestown, RI), ServiceMaster by Mason (Pawcatuck, CT), South Shore Village (South Kingston, RI), St. Kevin School (Warwick, RI), State Street School (Westerly, RI), Subway (Seekonk, MA), The Cove Restaurant (Charlestown, RI), WattsNatural Tutoring (Providence, RI), and the Westerly Senior Center (Westerly, RI). East Providence-based Peanut Butter manufacturer Nuts-n-More also donated 400 jars of peanut butter to the effort.

The Bank will celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Drive next year; if your business or community organization would like to support the Washington Trust Peanut Butter Drive next year, click here.

ABOUT WASHINGTON TRUST®

Founded in 1800, Washington Trust is recognized as the oldest community bank in the nation, the largest state-chartered bank headquartered in Rhode Island and one of the Northeast's premier financial services companies. Washington Trust values its role as a community bank and is committed to helping the people, businesses, and organizations of New England improve their financial lives. The Bank offers a wide range of commercial banking, mortgage banking, personal banking and wealth management services through its offices in Rhode Island, Connecticut and Massachusetts and a full suite of convenient digital tools. Washington Trust is a member of the FDIC and an equal housing lender. Washington Trust is a subsidiary of Washington Trust Bancorp, Inc., a publicly-owned holding company which trades on NASDAQ: WASH. For more information, visit the Bank's website at www.washtrust.com or the Corporation's website at ir.washtrust.com.