Posted November 3, 2015

It’s hard to beat protein-rich peanut butter and its side-kick jelly as staple foods that go a long way to filling hungry bellies. To do just that, young and old worked together recently as some 60 archdiocesan elementary and high schools plus all four of the Philadelphia Archdiocese’s senior centers collected approximately 50,000 pounds of the sandwich fillers for a year for 40 food cupboards that serve needy people in the Philadelphia region.

The annual Peanut Butter and Jelly Drive run by archdiocesan Nutritional Development Services came to a successful close on Monday, Nov. 2 at Monsignor Bonner-Archbishop Prendergast High School in Drexel Hill, where NDS recognized the work of students to donate the staples through Community Service Corps in the archdiocese and moderator Charles Wieners.

Nutritional Development Services provides meals, food assistance and support to organizations serving children and the poor as an extension of the services and mission of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. Learn more at the NDS website. (Photos by Sarah Webb)

Anne Ayella, NDS, presents the senior CSC members and their moderator Charlie Wieners with the Loaves and Fishes Award.

At left, Anne Ayella of Nutritional Development Services presents the senior Community Service Corps members and their moderator, Charlie Wieners (right), with the Loaves and Fishes Award.

CSC members prayer together for those in need.

CSC members pray together for those in need.

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CSC co-presidents Bobby Guerrieri, Abigail Moore, Monica Crosby, Celsey Golato, Jack Ellis (all seniors)

From left, CSC co-presidents Bobby Guerrieri, Abigail Moore, Monica Crosby, Celsey Golato and Jack Ellis (all seniors) show what the food drive was all about.

Students box up the PB&J they collected.

Students box up the PB&J they collected.

Students box up the last of the PB&J they collected.

Students box up the last of the PB&J they collected.

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Bonner-Prendergast students gladly do the heavy lifting for the region’s hungry people.

Students help load the NDS van up with the PB&J they collected.

Students help load the NDS van with the food they collected, which will help restock 40 food cupboards in the region with peanut butter and jelly for a year.

Some of the over 200 members of CSC at Bonner-Prendi pose for a picture witht eh PB&J they collected.

Some of the more than 200 members of CSC at Bonner-Prendergast pose for a picture with the PB&J they collected.

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Charlie Wieners, CSC moderator, thanks all the students for their hard work collecting food for those in need.

Charlie Wieners, CSC moderator, thanks all the students for their hard work collecting food for those in need.

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Anne Ayella of NDS speaks to the student volunteers.