LAKEWOOD RANCH, Fla. — Neal Communities, southwest Florida’s premier, private homebuilder, recently held its first-ever peanut butter and jelly food war with its internal employees to collect jars in support of the work by All Faiths Food Bank, the hub of hunger relief in Sarasota and DeSoto counties.
To help feed the hungry in the community, Neal team members collected 280 jars of peanut butter and 275 jars of jelly over a two-week period in September. Employees donated two of the most-needed items for All Faiths Food Bank at the company’s corporate office in Lakewood Ranch. Team members were split into two groups. Team Peanut Butter consisted of employees with the last names that fell between A-M. Staff members with last names N-Z were part of Team Jelly. Team Peanut Butter won by a slim five-jar margin, but all team members were treated to a PB&J-themed potluck lunch.
“We are so grateful when organizations in our community come together for food or fund drives,” said Elaina Mand, community engagement manager for All Faiths Food Bank. “They are a great, easy way to get involved and raise awareness on the issue of hunger in Sarasota and DeSoto counties. Thank you to Neal Communities for holding this peanut butter and jelly food drive.”
Last year, All Faiths Food Bank distributed 10.2 million pounds of food equating to 8.5 million meals through 188 pantries, soup kitchens, churches, community centers, schools and programs.
“This is a part of Neal Communities’ efforts to be involved in the community and it was a great team building opportunity,” said Michael Storey, president of Neal Communities. “Thank to our generous team, we collected roughly enough peanut butter and jelly to provide three sandwiches a day to seven people for an entire year.”
Awarded a consecutive 4-star rating by Charity Navigator, All Faiths Food Bank is a member of Feeding America and serves more than 66,000 neighbors in need through its member network that includes human services organizations, schools, faith-based and secular organizations and other groups that serve the community.
About Neal Communities
With over 40 years of building award-winning homes, Neal Communities has over 90 successful communities throughout southwest Florida. The Lakewood Ranch-based builder was named the Professional Builder 2015 “Builder of the Year” and was named one of 2012’s “America’s Best Builders” by BUILDER Magazine and voted the “2013 Best Residential Builder in Southwest Florida” in a readers’ poll sponsored by Gulfshore Business Magazine. The company is ranked No. 1 locally by Metrostudy and by Hanley Wood Market Intelligence based on number of home sales and ranked nationally among the top 50 builders by BUILDER Magazine.
To date, Neal has built over 13,000 homes in southwest Florida. As the area’s largest and most established, locally owned and operated private builder, Neal Communities is continually striving for excellence in every aspect of the home building and development business. Neal Signature Homes, Neal Land Ventures, Charlene Neal PureStyle, Waterscapes Pools & Spas, Neal Communities Funding, Fiducia Insurance and Allegiant Title Professionals all contribute to the firm’s continued, record-setting local success. The company’s honors and accolades include numerous Parade of Homes awards, 50 Aurora Awards, 5 Best in American Living Awards and hundreds of local and regional industry awards. For more information, please visit www.NealCommunities.com.
About All Faiths Food Bank
All Faiths Food Bank, awarded a consecutive 4-star rating by Charity Navigator, is a member of Feeding America, the hub of hunger relief in Sarasota and DeSoto counties and serves more than 66,000 neighbors in need through its member network that includes human services organizations, schools, faith-based and secular organizations and other groups that serve the community. Programs include the Mobile Farm Market, which brings fresh produce to clients, Mobile Pantries, which delivers groceries to areas of highest need, the BackPack Program, ensuring students have food over weekends and holidays, School Pantries, the Campaign Against Summer Hunger, raising food and funds to feed children all summer long, and Cooking Matters, a six-week series of hands-on cooking, shopping and nutrition education classes for kids, adults and seniors. All Faiths Food Bank engages partners who nourish young minds and bodies, including the School District, libraries, the Jewish Federation of Sarasota County and child-centric organizations such as the YMCA, Eagle Academy and the Boys and Girls Clubs. Last year, All Faiths Food Bank distributed 10.2 million pounds of food equating to 8.5 million meals through 188 pantries, soup kitchens, churches, community centers, schools and programs. Mission: Together with our partners, we provide healthy solutions to end hunger in our community. For more information, call 941-379-6333 or visit www.allfaithsfoodbank.org.