Peanut butter with a purpose

Two grocery store chains have partnered with the Second Harvest Food Banks to help ensure children have lunch during the summer.

“Every summer, families whose kids receive lunch at school struggle with keeping their cupboards full,” said Steve Bennett, Community Relations Director for Second Harvest.

Through May 31, Save Mart and Lucky stores throughout California and northern Nevada are collecting peanut butter for Second Harvest Food Banks.

Second Harvest officials say high-protein, shelf-stable foods like peanut butter are always in high demand, especially in the summer when food bank shelves aren’t as stocked as they were during the winter holidays. The peanut butter and other donations collected in Santa Cruz County will be distributed by Second Harvest County of Santa Cruz through its network of 200 agencies and programs in the area.