A local college that is known for their delicious gourmet food, deserves recognition for their preparation of a classic sandwich.

Last Friday, over 100 students from The Culinary Institute of America made and wrapped over 4,000 peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for soup kitchens and food pantries in the Hudson Valley.

“Each day we have hundreds, if not thousands, of community members who are in need of food, for one reason or another,” Dr. James Manley, associate dean for campus life and student development at the CIA said. “This brings our students together in a fun activity that helps them connect with one another while also helping to serve a need in our area.”

By Monday morning all of the PB&Js were donated to eight charitable organizations in Poughkeepsie and Kingston.

“We are so grateful for The Culinary Institute of America’s generous and thoughtful efforts in providing thousands of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches to various organizations in our city,” Poughkeepsie Mayor Rob Rolison said. “This is just another example of what a community should look like—organizations and people caring about others who many times need their help.”

The J. M. Smucker Company donated 720 pounds of Jif peanut butter and 600 pounds of Smucker’s grape jelly. Bimbo Bakeries USA provided 350 loaves of Freihofer’s wheat bread. While, HILL & MARKES contributed sandwich bags and food preparation gloves.

In Poughkeepsie, Dutchess Outreach, Salvation Army, Youth Mission Outreach, Holy Trinity Lutheran Church and Holy Light Pentecostal Church received sandwiches. Caring Hands Soup Kitchen, People’s Place Food Pantry and Chiz’s Heart Street were recipients from Kingston.

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