WASHINGTON, D.C. — Peanut farmers from Georgia, Alabama, Florida, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Texas and Oklahoma donated more than 8,000 jars of peanut butter to Martha’s Table in Washington, D.C.

Martha’s Table’s mission is to help at-risk children, youth, families and individuals in the Washington, D.C. community improve their lives by providing educational programs, food, clothing, and enrichment opportunities.

This organization’s Children, Youth, and Family Program provides more than 300 children, ages 3 months to 18 years of age, with nutritious meals and snacks each year. Representatives of the peanut industry delivered the peanut butter and toured the facility on March 11.

“We applaud their focus on nutrition combined with educational support,” said Armond Morris, chairman of the Georgia Peanut Commission. “They served 513,503 sandwiches in 2008 and it is our privilege to donate peanut butter to help them achieve their mission in 2009.”

In addition to the peanut farmer donation of peanut butter, the American Peanut Shellers Association, Southern Ag Carriers, Tara Foods and Home Depot also participated in the donation to Martha’s Table.

“We are very grateful for such a large donation of nutritious peanut butter. Families that we serve have been hit hard during this economic crisis and this donation of food will be a great help to them,” said Lindsey Buss, the president and CEO of Martha’s Table. “We will be able to distribute the peanut butter to the community through meals we serve, during our food pantry and through partner organizations. Peanut butter is a cost effective way for individuals to receive nutrients such as protein they need in their diets to stay healthy.”

Martha’s Table carefully tracked the recent recall of peanut-based products and committed to only serving peanut butter made by manufacturers not involved in the recall. “We are pleased with Martha’s Table’s practical and intelligent approach to the peanut product recall,” Morris says. All of the peanut butter donated to their organization is name brand and not involved in the recall and will be nutritious for the children being served by Martha’s Table.

Martha’s Table is a non-profit, tax-exempt organization.