Laredo Medical Center’s Jars of Love Peanut Butter Drive Collects 7,077 Jars of Peanut Butter for South Texas Food Bank

4/2/2025

LAREDO, Texas, APRIL 2, 2025 – To help address hunger in Laredo and several surrounding communities, Laredo Medical Center announced the donation of 7,077 jars of peanut butter to the South Texas Food Bank. The announcement coincided with National Peanut Butter and Jelly Day.

All of that peanut butter was donated by Laredo Medical Center employees, medical staff, and volunteers, as well as by students, businesses, first responders and other generous individuals from the area, during the hospital’s third annual Jars of Love Peanut Butter Drive.

During the donation presentation to the food bank, Laredo Medical Center CEO Jorge Leal put on a Mr. Peanut costume as part of his pledge to hospital employees, if they met their goal of collecting 4,000 peanut butter jars. Leal was pleased to wear the costume to show his pride for the hospital’s 1,200-plus employees and the highly successful outcome of the food drive. Laredo Medical Center has exceeded its goal for three straight years, and it has become a tradition for Leal to don the Mr. Peanut costume as part of his pledge to staff. The peanut butter drive at Laredo Medical Center collected 1,817 jars in 2023 (1,000 jars was the goal) and 3,529 jars in 2024 (2,100 jars was the goal).

This year’s top three hospital departments with the largest donations of peanut butter jars were recognized with awards. The winners include first place- Unit 5C with 720 jars, second place- ICU/1E with 433 jars, and third place- Quality Department with 208 jars. Additionally, a check for $1,047 was presented to the South Texas Food Bank on behalf of Laredo Medical Center employees who contributed to the peanut butter drive.

The hospital received support from three-time donors Laredo Heat Soccer Club and the Auxiliary to Laredo Medical Center. Other community donors included: Trashco Inc., LTX Select Volleyball Club, Skyline EMS Inc. from Hebbronville, Texas, Estrella Provider Services LLC, Dump-IT Dumpster Rentals LLC, United Charity Association from United ISD, Laredo College, Antonio Gonzalez Middle School, Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen, and many others from the community. Additionally, several companies assisted the drive as drop-off sites, including Texas A&M International University, Jalapeños Pizza, Pizza Box, Organic Man Coffee Trike and the Laredo Fire Department Administrative Center.

The largest community donations came from:

• Kennedy Zapata Elementary School in El Cenizo, Texas, led by pre-kindergarten, kindergarten and second grade students in the school’s KZE Rocket Art Club with 255 jars; and
• Laredo Fire Department and its cadets and staff in the EMS and Fire training divisions with 477 jars.

Leal said that food insecurity can have a profound impact on a person’s overall health and wellbeing, affecting not just physical health but also mental and emotional resilience.

“At Laredo Medical Center, we recognize that addressing hunger is critical to improving the health of our community. I am incredibly proud of our team and the unwavering support from the community, whose kindness and generosity have made a real difference in the lives of those in need,” said Leal. “Since the inception of the peanut butter drive in 2023, the outpouring of support has been nothing short of spectacular, surpassing donation goals for three consecutive years. This collective effort truly reflects the spirit of compassion that defines our community.”

According to Alma Boubel, executive director of the South Texas Food Bank, 1 in 6 people and 1 in 4 children in Laredo and surrounding communities, struggle to put food on the table. The food bank serves eight South Texas counties, including Webb, Zapata, Jim Hogg, Val Verde, Maverick, Kinney, Dimmit and Starr.

Peanut butter is one of the most requested items for food banks because it is highly nutritious and has a long shelf life. Unfortunately, many food banks in America report it is also one of the least donated food items. Other foods needed by food banks include any non-perishables such as canned or dry beans, canned vegetables, grains, cereal, canned fruits, or any type of healthy snacks.

“We are committed to fighting hunger in the South Texas area but we cannot do it alone,” said Alma Boubel. "We are very grateful to Laredo Medical Center for thinking of our mission and our neighbors. It means a lot to us, but especially to our neighbors who are the beneficiaries of this great effort.”

Food drives are one of the ways that the community can help fight hunger. Other ways include making a monetary donation or volunteering. For every dollar donated, 10 meals will be provided to individuals in need of food assistance. Additionally, volunteering as an individual or organizing an employee volunteer is another way to get involved. The South Texas Food Bank’s programs require over 10,000 bags to be packed monthly, and with the support of the community the food bank can reach those numbers quickly and efficiently.

For more information on how to join the fight against food insecurity, visit www.southtexasfoodbank.org.

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