AMESBURY – It’s said that love is best demonstrated through actions, and not words. For Amesbury area businesses, they lived up to that expectation during their February Spread the Love campaign.
“We had approximately 2-dozen businesses serve as collection sites as we encouraged the public to donate jars of peanut butter and jelly,” explained Megan Gaiero, a member of the Amesbury Chamber of Commerce’s Board of Directors.
“These donations were gathered to benefit our friends at Our Neighbors’ Table.”
Gaiero, Branch Manager for the Institution for Savings in Amesbury, spearheaded the 2022 Spread the Love campaign to collect donations of peanut butter and jelly.
“We saw a 40 per cent jump in our total collections when compared to our last drive in 2019,” explained Gaiero. “The outpouring of support was amazing.”
Gaiero noted that over 1,400 lbs. worth of food was donated.
“We had members of the Chamber who were on vacation and shipped donations,” explained Gaiero.
“We had restaurants tap their storerooms and donate. Our own, local jelly producers at R. E. Kimball & Company even rolled out the dolly and delivered cases of Amesbury-made goods.”
Our Neighbors’ Table welcomed the support.
“For 30 years, Amesbury businesses have been at the forefront of building ONT’s mission of nourishing food, kindness and dignity,” said Lyndsey Haight, Executive Director of Our Neighbors’ Table.
“Their support didn’t falter during the COVID crisis. What a better way to set the tone for our “new normal” than with Spread the Love!”
In 2021, more than 1.2 million pounds of groceries were distributed through Our Neighbors’ Table’s online grocery market, serving more than 1,400 neighbors in Amesbury alone.
“It’s worth so much more than the 1400 pounds of peanut butter and jelly to know your community is here for you when you need a helping hand,” said Haight. “Thank you to Megan [Gaiero] for getting it going, to R.E. Kimball for your personal touch, and to every member of the Chamber who makes food security a priority in your business!”
If you’re interested in supporting Our Neighbors’ Table and their mission of providing nourishing food, kindness and dignity, please visit their website at www.OurNeighborsTable.org. ◊