Thanks for your interest in Peanuts4Peanuts! 

My name is Lizzie. I'm an economic consultant and I spend a lot of time working with non-profit organizations in Haiti to help them do what they do as effectively and efficiently as possible. Last fall, I went to Haiti to check it all out for myself. I visited hospitals, clinics, and other non-profits, including a medicinal peanut butter operation. I saw firsthand how these organizations struggle to meet the country's most basic healthcare needs. I left the country inspired by their efforts but eager to do more to help. And I had an idea.

The idea is simple really: Sell all-natural, U.S. sourced peanut butter here in the States, and for every jar sold, provide a malnourished Haitian child with a dose of Haitian-sourced, medicinal peanut butter. Medicinal peanut butter supports rapid weight gain and provides hungry children with vital nutrients to bolster growth and a healthy immune system. Who knew there was so much power in such a tiny nut!

After returning to Boston, I told Kendra (my roommate) about this idea. With Kendra’s background in management and economics and previous experience with her own start-up in a developing country, I knew we were a match made in peanut butter heaven.

With Peanuts4Peanuts, everybody wins! Here in the U.S., you get to enjoy the best-tasting, locally-sourced peanut butter AND you also help to save a child from starvation while boosting the Haitian economy!

We are super excited about this idea and hope you are too! Please check out the rest of our Indiegogo page for more information and to learn about what else is in it for you! We understand that not everyone is in a position to donate, but please like us on Facebook and spread the word!

Buy a jar and make a difference. Trust us, you’ll taste the love in every bite.

Thank you!

K&L 

(1) We searched high and low to find the country's most delicious, all-natural peanut butter made with peanuts from Virginia, Georgia, and the Carolinas. The only other ingredient we add is salt! From real American farmers, to your PB&J sandwich, what's not to love?

(2) With every jar sold, a malnourished Haitian child receives a 3.2 oz serving of micronutrient fortified peanut butter, produced and manufactured in Haiti.

Haiti is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, with over 75% of people living on less than $2 per day. [1] Haiti was devastated by multiple natural disasters and despite billions of dollars in international aid, hunger is worse than ever before. [2] If left untreated, chronic malnutrition can result in increased risk of contracting HIV, low school attendance, and decreased productivity. [3] Medicinal peanut butter works like magic, bringing these children with swollen bellies and emaciated limbs back from the brink of death.

Medicinal peanut butter is made with ground roasted peanuts, powdered milk, cooking oil, sugar, vitamins and minerals. It is known as Ready-To-Use Therapeutic Food because it does not require water or any preparation, a deterring treatment factor in many developing countries. After 6-8 weeks of treatment with medicinal peanut butter, 85% of children recover – far better than the 25% recovery rate with older treatment methods. [4] There are already institutions in Haiti that use locally harvested peanuts to produce medicinal peanut butter. Through the employment of Haitian farmers and factory employees, we'll be generating income to help reduce poverty and food insecurity across the country. Medicinal peanut butter is a truly promising way to improve the health of Haiti's children as well as its recovering economy.

1 World Food Programme 2 Huffington Post 3 Hendricks 2010 4 Meds & Food for Kids

Aside from our never-ending gratitude and the opportunity to make an incredible difference in the life of a child, with each donation there is a little something in it for you! The funds will be put to good use and will help us cover: (1) peanut butter production here in the U.S., (2) labeling, (3) storage and transportation, and (4) marketing materials. And you can get the following rewards based on what you decide to give.

We appreciate any donations so feel free to fill in the amount that works best for you. And keep in mind, the fundraising goal has to be met in full to receive any funding so keep an eye on our progress throughout the campaign to see where we stand!

Thank you!

Thank you for giving us the advice we didn’t want to hear. None of this would have been possible without our board of advisors: Pierre Cremieux, David Douyard, Peter D’Errico, John Goscha

To Robert Woo and Sasha Goldberg for being as excited about this endeavor as we are and of course putting together the amazing video.

To Christopher Burbank for your creative eye and patience with us as we learn about branding.

To Gordon Troy, Larry Stanley and Barbara Wilkins for your legal advice and more.

And lastly to our friends and family for your continued support!

Feel free to reach out to us at info@peanuts4peanuts.com with any questions or comments!

Risks and Challenges

As with any start up, we do recognize that challenges may arise. One of our biggest challenges will be reaching consumers who are excited to buy our product, with its socially-centered mission, at a slightly marked-up price point. Using cost-saving strategies, our company has been able to price Peanuts4Peanuts comparable to other all-natural peanut butters, despite the costs associated with production and distribution of medicinal peanut butter in Haiti.

In the event that this campaign is a huge success, we have accounted for a potential delay in the delivery process of the rewards. There is a risk with shipping our products through the mail, but we will be sure to keep you posted if we do have to delay the delivery for any reason. At this point, we have the capacity to deliver all maximum rewards by December 2013.