REDMOND, OR -- NeighborImpact's food bank recently received more than 4300 jars of peanut butter from Robberson Ford, Newport Avenue Market in Bend and Thriftway in Prineville.

Carly Sanders, Food Program Manager for the non-profit, tells KBND News peanut butter is a staple. "It's a great protein source, which we're always in in need of at the food bank. This is really important in the summer months because peanut butter is really kid-friendly, and so many of our kids in the Central Oregon area who are eligible for free and reduced [school lunch] can't always access the summer meal program. This is a way to supplement that." She says these types of donations are essential to their work. "For our size, we recover - of the food that we distribute - about 50% of that food that we get locally is coming from the grocery stores. And, that's very unique for our size of food bank. Typically, it's much smaller."

NeighborImpact also announced Monday that they've received a $10,000 grant for its food recovery program, from the Cow Creek Umpqua Indian Foundation. Sanders says despite an improving economy, many are still struggling. "We're still serving the same amount of people as we have for the last five years; it really has gone unchanged. We are seeing greater needs in our smaller, rural communities, as well. I think that's where we're seeing a change in the numbers, there's a greater need there."