Spread the Love campaign brings in 2,600+ jars

The City of Mesquite collected enough jars of nut and seed butters and jelly to make 36,904 sandwiches during its 2025 Spread the Love campaign.

Residents, businesses and organizations donated 2,636 jars of nut and seed butters and jelly during the collection campaign which ran from May to Labor Day.

"When school is out, many children lose access to regular meals. The Spread the Love campaign is a simple but powerful way to help fill that gap," said Mayor Dan Alemán. "I'm grateful to all who donated and for our partnership with Sharing Life for making sure families in Mesquite are supported."

The annual Spread the Love program was developed because many kids rely on free or reduced lunches during the school year but don't have access to these programs over the summer.

The City works with Sharing Life Community Outreach to distribute the food collected. Sharing Life is a Mesquite-based nonprofit that runs a food pantry and provides other services including a clothes closet, job placement assistance and emergency financial support.

Sharing Life accepts financial donations toward Spread the Love year-round at sharing.life/donate.

"This year marks the 9th anniversary of Spread the Love and together, we've provided thousands of nutritious lunches for children in our community who are experiencing food insecurity," said Teresa Jackson, CEO of Sharing Life Community Outreach. "Our partnership with the City of Mesquite is a powerful reminder of what's possible when local government and nonprofits work side by side. To everyone who donated - thank you for making a difference in the life of a child!"

Since the campaign started in 2016, Spread the Love has brought in thousands of pounds of food as well as thousands of dollars from sponsorships. To learn more, visit www.cityofmesquite.com/spreadthelove.