SANFORD — Peanut butter is a staple in many households. It is quick and easy and packed with protein. It can be spread on toast, used as a dip for celery sticks or baked in cookies.

Because it is easy to use and a good source of protein, peanut butter is a popular item with Sanford’s Backpack program — which supplies easy-to-prepare food for young people on the weekends, among other food-related endeavors.

However, people affiliated with the Sanford Backpack Program say peanut butter isn’t available from their supplier right now.

So they’ve put out the word and set up drop-off locations for those who would like to contribute.

The Sanford Backpack Program provides food to students weekly; peanut butter is sent home about every three weeks to about 250 students, said advisory board member Ayn Hanselmann.

“We hate to have our program kids and their families go without this particular item as it’s nutritionally dense, easy to serve and generally a kid-friendly food,” said Hanselmann.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, two tablespoons of peanut butter contains 7 grams of protein, 16 grams of fat (3 grams of which is saturated fat), and 1.8 grams of fiber.

Hanselmann, an owner of the Main Street accounting firm Troiano & Hanselmann, put out the word on social media that a drive was on to fill the gap.

The Backpack Program is trying to come up with 250 jars by Dec. 20, so the peanut butter can be part of the filled backpacks sent home with students for  winter break.

The business is open on Tuesdays and Thursdays, so some others have agreed to have their location as  a drop-off for those who wish to contribute, like Nasson Community Center and Little Theatre on Main Street in the Springvale village section of the city, and Get Fired Up!, downtown at 883 Main St.

“We have high foot traffic at Nasson so I thought it would help by having a drop off at our location,” said the community center’s executive assistant, Emily Sheffield.

According to a report by the U.S.D.A’s Economic Research Service, one in five Maine children is food insecure, and 37 percent of all of Maine’s food insecure population, from children to seniors, do not qualify for public assistance.

The peanut butter drive runs through Dec. 20.

On Thursday, Margie Genereux of Gotta Be Frank Gourmet stopped by Nasson Community Center with several jars of peanut butter — both crunchy and smooth varieties.

A few years ago, when she was an ed tech at the junior high school, Genereux said, some of her students helped sort items for the backpacks.

“This is a project near and dear to my heart,” she said.

— Senior Staff Writer Tammy Wells can be contacted at 780-9016 or twells@journaltribune.com.