W. Terrell Jones peanut butter express
A peanut butter drive was started by the late Dr. Walter Terrell Jones (d. August 19, 2014). Dr. Jones had a very special gift for telling stories. He was also the Vice Provost for Educational Equity at Penn State. Each fall, Dr. Jones incorporated the peanut butter drive into his famous children's sermons.
On Sundays during the drive, he approached the children waiting for him blowing his whistle and pulling a wagon containing jars of peanut butter named "The Peanut Butter Express". After weeks of collecting peanut butter, Dr. Jones and the children would transport the peanut butter to the State College Area Food Bank (when it was located on Hamilton Avenue) in a wagon.
The Peanut Butter Express continues each year. Since 2015, Penn State students (Bunton Waller, Lenfest Scholars, and students enrolled in African American Studies courses) hold a drive on the campus to augment the collection of peanut butter collected at church for the State College Area Food Bank.
For 2025, the church is collecting donations of peanut butter through the months of February to May. Donations may be left in the red wagon in the narthex or, the Bethune Society will be accepting donations on the 1st floor of the HUB-Robeson Center on February 20-21, March 27-28, and April 17-18 from 12:30-3:00 p.m. Any contribution is greatly appreciated!
ABOUT dr. jones
A beloved leader at Albright-Bethune was Dr. W.Terrell Jones who passed away in 2014, following a lengthy illness. Professionally, Dr. Jones was Vice Provost for Educational Equity at Penn State. In that role, he laid a lasting foundation for diversity and inclusion at PSU. At Albright-Bethune, Dr. Jones was loved by our youngest members for his weekly leadership of the congregation's "Children's Time" in worship.
Always on point with scripture, he frequently shared lessons from popular culture and from his varied travel experiences. He was known to bring souvenirs for the kids from his journeys. Dr. Jones's trademark was the wagon which he pulled up the church aisle on the way to meet the children at the chancel, blowing his "train whistle" all the way. The wagon was used to collect peanut butter for the State College Area Food Bank.
In memory of Terrell Jones, the wagon is used for ongoing collections of food for the Food Bank. Each October, jars of peanut butter are collected, in what is now called the "Terrell Jones Peanut Butter Express."
