PB&J sandwiches were put in boxes for UMOM New Days Center to distribute to people in need. (Photo by Alexis Dominguez/Cronkite News)
Sixty volunteers. Sixty minutes. And 4,325 peanut butter and jelly sandwiches made for charity.
Singing and dancing volunteers in purple t-shirts worked to put together as many sandwiches as possible in an hour.
The group of fell short of its 5,000-sandwich goal last week but was happy they were able to help feed women and families at UMOM New Day Centers.
The Which Wich Cares Foundation, part of the sandwich restaurant chain, launched Project PB&J to provide peanut butter and jelly sandwiches to people in need.
Project PB&J is conducted annually in cities across the United States on National PB&J Day.
Which Wich partnered with Sysco Food Services of Arizona to have volunteers make the sandwiches under a tight deadline.
The Project PB&J slogan was #SpreadTheLove, which in this case was spread to UMOM, which shelters homeless families.
“We like to say we’re spreading the love back to the community,” said Peter Greene, co-owner of several Which Wich locations in the Phoenix metro area.
Greene and co-owner Kim Broome, looked at different charities before deciding UMOM would benefit the most.
Fara Walling, resource development manager for UMOM, said the organization helped more than 6,000 individuals in Maricopa County last fiscal year.
Walling also said the sandwiches allows UMOM to feed women and families at the Watkins emergency shelter.
“The Watkins Basic Needs Shelter is a year-round program designed specifically to serve up to 120 homeless single women as well as up to 20 families every night,” according to UMOM’s website.