A parking citation and a jar of peanut butter may seem like an unlikely combination. At Old Dominion University, they’ve become the ingredients for a campus tradition that has collected more than 56,000 ounces of peanut butter for people facing food insecurity.
Peanut Butter for Parking returns October 20-22, allowing students, faculty and staff to exchange peanut butter donations for credit toward eligible parking citations while supporting this year’s Monarchs Give Back campaign.
For every 2 ounces of unopened, unexpired peanut butter donated, participants receive $1 toward an eligible parking citation, up to $100.
Over the past four years, the program has delivered benefits on both sides of that exchange: 56,340 ounces of peanut butter collected for people in need and $46,713 in citation relief for members of the ODU community.
The idea dates back to 2018, when Transportation & Parking Services partnered with ODU’s IGNITE Food Pantry. With food insecurity affecting members of the student population, Transportation & Parking Services saw an opportunity to address that need while offering another way for members of the campus community to resolve parking citations.
“The goal of the event was to ease some of the stress students have around receiving a citation and give back to the community,” said Anthony Turner, marketing and TDM outreach coordinator for Transportation & Parking Services. “Our department figured this program would be a good way to tackle both issues at once.”
Part of Something Bigger
This year, the program is part of Monarchs Give Back, ODU’s annual University-wide campaign to fight food insecurity. The larger effort brings together colleges, departments, students, faculty, staff and community partners to collect food and other essential items for the Monarch Pantry and Norfolk Public Schools.
For Transportation & Parking Services, connecting an established department tradition with Monarchs Give Back has expanded its reach while giving the department another way to contribute to a shared University effort.
“Working within Transportation & Parking Services, it’s easy to feel disconnected from some of the colleges or other student-facing departments,” Turner said. “Monarchs Give Back reminds us that every department on campus has the same goal of supporting our students and looking after our neighbors.”
Food security is also closely connected to ODU’s broader commitment to supporting the health and well-being of its campus and surrounding community.
“As a Health Promoting University, we recognize that access to nutritious food is fundamental to individual and community well-being,” said Brandi Hephner LaBanc, vice president for student and campus life. “Peanut Butter for Parking gives our community a simple way to help make that access possible for others.”
Peanut butter is particularly useful because of its long shelf life and protein content, Turner said, and it is frequently requested by food banks.
The ODU community has responded enthusiastically. Last year, Peanut Butter for Parking collected 16,657 ounces of peanut butter, its largest collection to date.
“It’s no exaggeration to say that Peanut Butter for Parking is the campus community’s favorite event that Transportation & Parking Services holds,” Turner said. “We hope to continue receiving the immense amount of support for the program that we have in the past and surpass last year’s collection.”
How Peanut Butter for Parking Works
Peanut Butter for Parking will be held October 20-22 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Transportation & Parking Services office.
Students, faculty and staff can receive $1 in citation credit for every 2 ounces of unopened, unexpired peanut butter they donate, with a maximum credit of $100. All unpaid citations are eligible except those currently under appeal or re-appeal. Any balance remaining after the donation credit must be paid at the time of the donation.
Participants may only use donations toward their own citations, and peanut butter donations must be made in person.
A parking citation isn’t required to support the larger effort. Through Monarchs Give Back, members of the ODU community can continue donating food and other needed items to support individuals and families facing food insecurity.
It’s a simple exchange with an impact on both sides: a jar of peanut butter can provide a little financial relief for a member of the ODU community while helping put food into the hands of someone who needs it.