Apr. 25—Hartselle-based Feeding Families of Alabama is trying to beat last year’s record of jars of peanut butter collected in a food drive that honors their late dog Handsome, who was the food and pet pantry mascot.
As of Wednesday, Feeding Families of Alabama needed 137 more jars to beat last year’s record.
“Peanut butter was (Handsome’s) favorite food; it was his big snack. Everybody knew him for his peanut butter sandwiches,” said Feeding Families founder and executive director E’dee Grun. “This is kind of in honor of his legacy. He touched so many lives while he was here.”
Grun said they did the peanut butter drive last year while Handsome was still alive and collected 413 jars. Handsome died in November, but Grun decided to have the peanut butter drive another year in his memory. She chose the month of April because his birthday was April 1. Grun said Handsome loved anything to do with the pantry.
“He was in the middle of the whole thing all those years,” she said. “On pantry day, he would walk the line with me while we were handing out forms. And he would sit in his chair, and everybody that came through asked about Handsome. He was a legacy of his own.”
As of Wednesday, Feeding Families had collected 277 jars of peanut butter. They have already given away 95 jars during this month’s pantry day. Grun said the number of people they are giving food to has increased, and she expects it will continue to increase. She said they served 401 people this month.
“Peanut butter is just a basic, staple food,” Grun said. “If they have nothing else, we can give them a loaf of bread and a jar of peanut butter, and they can have a peanut butter sandwich. It’s high in protein, it’s high in vitamins, so it’s a really nutritious food to give out.”
The pantry is at the old Mt. Tabor Church building, 373 Mt. Tabor Road, Hartselle.
John Prestwood donated individually and also matched the Lanier/Hines Post 4190 VFW Auxiliary’s donation.
“I think we bought about 107 jars of peanut butter, and then canned hams and other things like that you can hand out,” he said. “I couldn’t find any more peanut butter at the dollar stores. I bought everything they had out (Tuesday).”
Prestwood said he felt it was important to donate to the drive because he could, and in memory of Handsome.
“If you have the ability to help people, you help them,” he said. “He was a pit bull, very friendly; everybody liked him. My wife was real fearful of large dogs until she got out and got around Handsome a little bit. Then she started realizing that not all pit bulls are bad.”
Peanut butter donations will be taken for the drive through Wednesday. Grun said this is the last year they will do a Handsome drive.
“Since he’s passed, it’s time to let him go,” she said. “It’s kind of my way of saying goodbye.”
—erica.smith@decaturdaily.com or 256-340-2460.