Feeding America and The Great American Milk Drive Partner To Feed A Childhood And Power The Simple Joys Of Summer

For most kids, summertime means months filled with playing in the sun, swimming at the lake or hitting baseballs in the park. However, more than 22 million children may lose access to free or reduced-price meal programs when school lets out. That means, for many kids in need, even basic staples like milk and the nutrients it provides — including protein, calcium and vitamin D — may be missing. 

The summer months are a time of year when food banks are often even busier because schools are closed. To provide some relief to families struggling to make up the lost school meals, The Great American Milk Drive is ramping up efforts in June for National Dairy Month and calling on the nation to help feed a childhood this summer.  A donation of as little as $5 made online at milklife.com/give can deliver a gallon of fresh milk to a local family in need through Feeding America®, the nation’s largest domestic hunger-relief organization.

Through this first-of-its kind program, more than 1 million gallons — that’s more than 16 million servings — of milk have been delivered to food banks to help ensure that all kids have the nutrients they need to play, learn and grow. Yet, there’s still more to do. Because milk is a more challenging item to donate and store, on average, food banks are only able to provide the equivalent of less than gallon of milk per person, per year.  

“America’s dairy farmers and milk brands are proud to support The Great American Milk Drive and are committed to fighting hunger in our communities,” said Victor Zaborsky, Vice President of Marketing for MilkPEP. “Through this partnership with Feeding America, the dairy industry is committed to providing 50 million servings of fresh nutrient-rich milk to kids and families served by Feeding America by 2020.”

Making a Difference in Your Community

Feeding America leads the fight against hunger in the United States by serving more than 46 million Americans, including 12 million children. Since 2014, Feeding America has partnered with The Great American Milk Drive to help deliver milk throughout its nationwide network of 200 food banks and 60,000 food pantries and meal programs.

Although some programs like the USDA’s Summer Food Service Program help to provide meals when school is not in session, the National School Lunch Program and the School Breakfast Program do not reach children during the summer months. That’s why food banks play an even more critical role in helping children access nutritious foods when class isn’t in session. 

“The challenge to provide fresh milk becomes increasingly difficult for food banks during summer months when the demand for charitable support increases,” said Andy Wilson, Chief Development Officer at Feeding America. “We are grateful that The Great American Milk Drive provides a practical way for food banks to get milk to children and families in need and enables our network of food banks to provide more milk to more people than ever before.”

This Dairy Month — and all summer long — The Great American Milk Drive makes it easy to deliver fresh milk, including its nine essential nutrients, to help power the simple joys of summer for kids and families.  Learn more about The Great American Milk Drive at milklife.com/give. 

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About Feeding America

Feeding America® is the largest hunger-relief organization in the United States. Through a network of more than 200 food banks, 21 statewide food bank associations, and over 60,000 partner agencies, food pantries and meal programs, we helped provide 5.3 billion meals to tens of millions of people in need last year. Feeding America also supports programs that prevent food waste and improve food security among the people we serve; brings attention to the social and systemic barriers that contribute to food insecurity in our nation; and advocates for legislation that protects people from going hungry. Visit www.feedingamerica.org, find us on Facebook or follow us on X.com.