As the needs of the dairy industry shifted in response to COVID-19, New England Dairy has helped to facilitate the distribution of 75,000 gallons of milk to families in need throughout the region.
Dairy Products Distributed at Donation Events
So far this year, we have led or provided support to 11 dairy donation events. Our role in each event differed depending on the needs and strengths of our partners. Our team coordinated press and outreach for donations, volunteered during distributions, organized event logistics, and brought partners together to ensure impactful donation events.
Through our overall activities, including events, we played a role in the donation and distribution of the equivalent of about 75,000 gallons of milk and 47,500 pounds of yogurt and sour cream to communities in need across the region.
Examples include:
- Litchfield County, CT – April 22, 2020 – 1,440 half gallons
- Vermont Food Bank – May through June – 11,500 gallons and 42,000 cups of yogurt
- Worcester, MA – May 21, 2020 – 1,990 half gallons
- Cranston, RI – June 1, 2020 – 7,500 half gallons
- Brooklyn, CT – June 3, 2020 – 1,550 gallons
- Essex/St. Albans VT – June 26 & 27, 2020 – 4,000 gallons
In honor of World Milk Day on June 1st, New England Dairy partnered with Stop and Shop to turn their Cranston, RI store parking lot into a milk drive through for Rhode Island hunger relief agencies. Stop & Shop donated over 7,500 half gallons of milk to address the growing demand for nutritious food for those in need.
Many other donations have taken place across New England in recent months as brands and co-ops prioritized distributing surplus product to communities in need.
Marketing Campaign Brings in Donations for Nearly 7,000 Gallons of Milk
Alongside our grassroots donation work, in May we launched a marketing campaign asking New Englanders to support dairy farmers by donating milk to their local food bank through www.GiveAGallon.com.
In one month, our campaign raised $22,433 in donations from our five New England states and Eastern New York to feed families in need.
These funds will be dispersed to Feeding America food banks based on the zip code of the individuals who donated and will be used specifically for the purchase of milk. The funds will allow approximately 6,580 gallons of milk to be purchased by food banks.
As the market continues to change in response to COVID-19, we will continue working with our partners to ensure that there is a stable market for your milk.