22^nd Annual Peanut Butter Drive Benefits Food Bank & Local Food Pantries

WESTERLY, R.I., April 26, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Washington Trust Company collected more than 1,100 jars of peanut butter and raised $13,590 to benefit the Rhode Island Community Food Bank during the 22^nd annual Peanut Butter Drive. The funds collected can help to source the equivalent of more than 8,000 jars of peanut butter. Collectively, the drive brought in more than 4.6 tons of this important pantry staple!

The twenty-second annual Washington Trust Peanut Butter Drive was held to benefit the Rhode Island Community Food Bank and local food pantries across Rhode Island, Massachusetts and southeastern Connecticut. Since launching the drive in 2001, Washington Trust has collected more than 156 tons of peanut butter. That's enough to make almost 5 million peanut butter sandwiches!

"During the pandemic, our communities experienced the highest levels of food insecurity recorded in the past 20 years, so the need to support hunger relief programs is more important than ever," said Edward O. "Ned" Handy III, Washington Trust Chairman & CEO. "We're pleased with the success of this year's peanut butter drive and our ability to provide emergency food assistance to local pantries and the families they serve," adds Handy, who is also the President of the Board of Directors for the Rhode Island Community Food Bank.

The annual peanut butter drive kicked off during an employee appreciation event where employees generously donated thousands of dollars. The Washington Trust Charitable Foundation offered a match to employee fundraising efforts, and then the drive was opened to the public, inviting customers and community members to contribute jars of peanut butter and funds to the effort.

Several local businesses and community organizations also made donations and held peanut butter drives of their own, including ServiceMaster by Mason in Westerly, RI; South Shore Village in South Kingstown, RI, Tecta America New England in Billerica, MA; Nuts 'n More in East Providence, RI; and McQuade's Marketplace locations in Westerly, RI and Mystic, CT.

ABOUT WASHINGTON TRUST^®
Founded in 1800, Washington Trust is the oldest community bank in the nation and one of the Northeast's premier financial services companies. Washington Trust offers a full range of financial services, including commercial banking, mortgage banking, personal banking and wealth management and trust services through its offices located in Rhode Island, Connecticut and Massachusetts. The Washington Trust Company is a subsidiary of Washington Trust Bancorp, Inc., (NASDAQ: WASH). Additional information on Washington Trust and its subsidiaries can be found at https://www.washtrust.com/.

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SOURCE The Washington Trust Company