Join Jersey Mike’s in Tyler on Thursday, October 8th for a giveback to the East Texas Food Bank. 10% of proceeds from sales will be donated to help fight hunger.
Participating location in Tyler include:
1690 S. Beckham and 4754 S. Broadway
Longview has won again in the third annual “Spread the Love Peanut Butter Drive,” a friendly competition between the cities of Longview and Tyler to support the East Texas Food Bank.
This year, Longview residents donated an impressive 8,657 pounds of peanut butter, while Tyler contributed 4,783 pounds, bringing the total to 13,440 pounds collected to help fight hunger in East Texas.
Community members participated by purchasing jars of peanut butter at local stores or online, with drop-off locations conveniently located throughout both cities. Funds raised totaled $16,121.
“Everyone is a winner in this friendly competition because the food and funds collected will help East Texans in need,” said David Emerson, CEO of the East Texas Food Bank. “Each jar donated represents a family that will receive nutritious, protein-rich food. We’re incredibly grateful to everyone who took part in this drive.”
The peanut butter drive was held in September in recognition of Hunger Action Month, a nationwide initiative to raise awareness about food insecurity. In East Texas, 1 in 6 adults and 1 in 4 children face hunger—a need that this campaign aimed to address.
Special thanks go to Brookshire’s, Super 1 Foods, Fresh by Brookshire’s, and so many businesses in Tyler and Longview for serving as donation drop-off points. Emerson also extended appreciation to the many groups who hosted their own drives.
“This campaign was a powerful reminder of what we can accomplish when we come together for a shared cause,” Emerson added. “Thanks to everyone’s generosity, we are making real progress in Fighting Hunger and Feeding Hope across East Texas.”
The East Texas Food Bank (ETFB) honored recipients with the seventh annual Hunger Hero Awards as part of Hunger Action Month.
Joe Palomino – Volunteer Hunger Hero Award
Joe Palomino received the Volunteer Hunger Hero Award. He has been with the Texarkana Resource Center as a volunteer since the facility opened in 2024. Palomino has volunteered over 1,100 hours and 400 shifts. “Joe embodies what it means to serve others,” said Shan Parks, Texarkana Resource Center Manager. “He steps in wherever he is needed.
Even when his own family faces challenges, he continues to show up with a smile and a servant’s heart. His dedication is a powerful example of the difference one person can
make in a community.”
Palomino says he was eager to volunteer when he saw the ETFB holding their firstdistribution in the parking lot of the Texarkana Resource Center while it was under construction. “I pulled in and said, ‘I want to help’ and they said sure we need all the help we can get and I have never stopped volunteering since that day,” said Palomino. “This is like my second family as I love working with the staff and other volunteers. My greatest joy is stopping hunger and helping people,” said Palomino.
Church on the Rock Texarkana – Community Partner Hunger Hero Award
Church on the Rock Texarkana received a Community Partner Hunger Hero Award. The church serves as an emergency food pantry and has been helping families for over 10 years and through their donations to the ETFB they have provided over 58,000 meals. Pastor Travis Jackson says their faith calls on the church to love and care for God’s people referring to Matthew 25:35-40 in the Bible.
“Church on the Rock partners with the East Texas Food Bank because we believe everyone deserves access to nutritious food and the opportunity to thrive,” said Pastor Travis Jackson. “The ETFB has a proven record of positively addressing food insecurity in our area and supporting families in need. This partnership allows us to live out our faith by helping
others and serving our community.”
Corporate Partner-Southwestern Electric Power Company Foundation
Southwestern Electric Power Company Foundation received a Corporate Partner Hunger Hero Award.
“SWEPCO has been a great partner in helping with our Longview Resource Center and other programs,” said David Emerson, CEO of the East Texas Food Bank. “Through our relationship with SWEPCO their donations have provided over 2.1 million meals. Their support allows us to serve more people, provide more meals, and make a lasting difference for families who are struggling. Together we are strengthening our community and offering hope to our neighbors when they need it most.”
Community Partner- Marvin Methodist Church
Marvin Methodist Church has supported the mission of the ETFB since the non-profit opened its doors in 1988 and has provided over 872,000 meals.
“As Methodists, we advocate our role in the community to be ones who care and support our community in a number of ways including feeding the hungry,” said Shannon Pogue, Marvin Methodist Church Director of Missions Engagement and Local Missions. “In John 21, Jesus commands us to ‘Feed my lambs. Take care of my sheep. And feed my sheep.’ And while we strive to feed our community on the teachings of the love and grace of Christ, we also take that directive literally to care of and feed our neighbors. We have been blessed as a congregation to support the ETFB for many years with our donations of time and service as well as our food drives and financial donations. We stand boldly with our community partners and strive to make our community better for all.”
Individual Hunger Hero Award- Lauren Hogan
Lauren Hogan,38, volunteered with her dad Mike Hogan at the ETFB Tyler Resource Center while battling stage 4 colon cancer. She said volunteering gave her a renewed sense of hope and strength.
“Lauren and her dad stocked shelves with food, packed produce, and filled the freezers,” said Emerson. “They worked side by side, serving their community and helping make sure families facing hunger had food on their tables. It is with tremendous honor and deep admiration that we posthumously present a Hunger Hero Award to Lauren Hogan.”
Lauren lost her battle with cancer in September 2025, but her dad still volunteers each week.
AARP Lufkin – Community Partner Hunger Hero Award
“We are incredibly thankful to AARP for their support of our mission in Lufkin,” said Tim Butler, Chief Development Officer of the East Texas Food Bank. “For several years, AARP has helped us connect with dedicated volunteers who play an essential role at the Deep East Texas Resource Center. Volunteers are the heart of so much of what we do at the East Texas Food Bank, and we are especially grateful for the experience, compassion, and commitment that senior volunteers bring to serving their neighbors. Their willingness to give their time helps us keep our shelves stocked, strengthen our operations and, most importantly, ensure that more people in our community have access to the food they need.”
The Pineywoods Foundation – Community Partner Hunger Hero Award
“The Pineywoods Foundation has been a steadfast partner of the Deep East Texas Resource Center for the past five years, helping provide more than 357,000 meals to individuals and families in need,” added Butler. “Their continued generosity has made a meaningful and lasting difference for our neighbors in Angelina County and surrounding communities. Support like this allows us to put nutritious food on the table, offer hope to families facing difficult circumstances and ensure that no neighbor has to face hunger alone.”
ETFB presented the awards during Feeding America’s Hunger Action Month, held each year in September, to inspire the community to take action and bring attention to hunger in East
Texas and the nation. According to Feeding America’s Map the Meal Gap study, 1 in 6 East Texans including 1 in 4 children are hungry. This amounts to 232,940 adults including 83,090 children.
The East Texas Food Bank will hold the third annual Longview versus Tyler peanut butter competition in September as part of Hunger Action Month.
“Each city will collect jars of peanut butter for the East Texas Food Bank’s pantry partners,” said David Emerson, CEO of the East Texas Food Bank. “Peanut Butter is nutritious, kid-friendly, and high in protein and a food item that most East Texans keep in stock. We hope residents of both cities participate to help us fill the shelves of our pantry partners in Longview and Tyler.”
Jars will be collected this month through September 24 in ETFB food boxes in Brookshire’s, Super 1 Foods and FRESH locations in both Tyler and Longview.
Donors can also buy jars of peanut butter online at EastTexasFoodBank.org/pbdrive. Funds will go towards food purchases in the respective communities.
Hunger Action Month is held every September as part of Feeding America’s initiative to bring awareness about food insecurity in our communities. In East Texas, 1 in 6 adults and 1 in 4 children are hungry.
“Last year, East Texans collected over 8,0000 pounds of peanut butter that helped us stock our shelves all year long,” said Emerson. “When you are shopping for your groceries, please buy some extra peanut butter and drop in the boxes at participating locations or go to our website and buy virtual peanut butter without ever leaving your home to help support ETFB.”
If your business collects peanut butter, please bring it to a store location in your area by September 24 or drop off large quantities of peanut butter at the ETFB in Tyler or the Longview Resource Center during normal business hours.
Stores participating include:
Tyler won the competition in the first year and Longview won last year. Weekly results will be posted on the ETFB social media and web site, so each city can see how they are doing in the peanut butter competition. Jars of peanut butter will be weighed to determine the winner and will be announced on Monday, September 28.
The East Texas Food Bank is a finalist nominee in the Southwest region for Chick-fil-A’s True Inspiration Award.
“We are so excited that the ETFB was nominated for this award and we hope all of East Texas will vote for us this month,” said Tim Butler, ETFB Chief Development Officer. “The grants range between $30,00-$200,000 so it would be amazing if we were able to win one of these grants to help with our mission of fighting hunger and feeding hope in the 26 counties we serve in East Texas. Every donated dollar helps us serve five meals to our neighbors in need.”
To vote for the ETFB simply download the Chick-fil-A App, click on For You, vote now, select the Southwest region and vote for ETFB. Voting is open until September 30 with the winners being announced in 2027. Only one vote per Chick-fil-A App account.
The True Inspiration Awards® programs was created in 2015 to honor the legacy of Chick-fil-A founder S. Truett Cathy. Through these annual grants, nonprofit organizations have been supported with over $40 million to organizations all around the world. To learn more visit chick-fil-a.com
