U.S. Dairy Community Steps Up Donations In Season Of Giving
As the holiday season gets underway, dairy organizations across the United States are ramping up donations to help families facing food insecurity. While many efforts are most visible during November and December, companies and cooperatives say hunger relief is a year-round priority, reflecting the dairy community’s commitment to supporting local families.
Major Brands Expand Seasonal Support
Bel U.S. kicked off the season with a donation of 1 million dairy snacks, including GoGo squeeZ yogurt and cheeses such as The Laughing Cow, Boursin and Babybel. The snacks are being distributed through food banks and nonprofit partners across the country, including Midwest Food Bank in Illinois, City Harvest in New York and Feeding America Wisconsin. The donation comes amid uncertainty around funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and rising demand at food banks.
“As a mission-led and family-owned company, we believe our role extends beyond the shelf,” says Paloma Lopez, chief sustainability and communications officer at Bel U.S. “This donation helps ensure families in our local communities have access to nourishing snacks that help to support balanced diets and bring moments of joy.”
Creameries Boost Local Food Access Through Holiday Drives
South Mountain Creamery is focusing its holiday giving on fresh turkeys, aiming to provide 600 farm-raised birds to families in Maryland, Virginia and North Carolina. Donations made during Black Friday through Cyber Monday were matched by the creamery, doubling the impact. Turkeys are sourced locally from Sensenig Turkey Farm in Lancaster County, supporting the regional farming community. Families receive donations through schools, food banks and community partners such as Frederick Rescue Mission, Maryland Food Bank and Martha’s Table.
“Our annual Thanksgiving drive is one of our favorite traditions,” says Tony Brusco, CEO of South Mountain Creamery. “We believe that everyone deserves to sit down to a nourishing meal with family and friends during the holidays.”
Cooperatives Expand Holiday And Year-Round Hunger Relief
Farmer-owned cooperatives also are stepping up. Land O’Lakes Inc., based in Minnesota, and its foundation have donated more than 250,000 pounds of fresh dairy products so far this quarter to help families prepare for the holiday season. Hunger relief is a core pillar of the cooperative’s philanthropy, which in 2024 included over $1.1 million in cash and 2.8 million pounds of food contributed across urban and rural communities.
“As a farmer-owned cooperative, Land O’Lakes is deeply committed to hunger relief. This effort begins locally in the communities that our members and employees call home, many of them rural,” says Sheilah Stewart, senior vice president and general counsel at Land O’Lakes. “We are honored to help our hunger partners get fresh, nutritious food directly to the families who need it most.”
In Wisconsin, Burnett Dairy Cooperative is contributing through initiatives including its Christmas for Kids Program, which distributes toys, bikes and clothing to children in need, and a new Cheesegiving Campaign, where each cheese end purchased in its store results in an equal donation to the local Grantsburg Food Shelf.
“Our cooperative has always been rooted in the community, and we’re committed to giving back to the places our farmers and employees call home,” says Matt Winsand, CEO of Burnett Dairy Cooperative. “Year-round donations are one way we honor that commitment and help ensure our communities remain healthy and resilient.”
Sargento Foods, based in Plymouth, Wisconsin, blends seasonal outreach with year-round philanthropy. The company supports hunger relief, housing and education initiatives while also engaging employees in community programs, such as the SECAP Singers, a volunteer choir performing at local nursing homes, and holiday drives for Toys for Tots and Angel Tree gifts.
“We give generously to these causes not just during the holiday season, but year-round because our founder, Leonard A. Gentine, believes in sharing our company’s success with our community neighbors who we consider part of the Sargento family,” the company says.
Some Programs Operate Year-Round To Address Persistent Food Insecurity
Garelick Farms’ Milk for Backpacks program donates one carton of milk for every gallon purchased, up to 440,000 cartons annually.
Dairy Farmers of America (DFA) Cares Foundation has contributed more than 5 million shelf-stable milk units since 2020 and provides financial support to over 60 local organizations. Kemps, one of DFA’s farmer-owned brands, recently partnered with Festival Foods to donate 30,000 milk cartons to Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin.
“Community is at the heart of who we are at DFA, and DFA Cares allows us to take that commitment to a national and global scale,” says Marjie Knust, senior vice president of communications and community relations, DFA.
“Through hunger relief, disaster assistance and educational support, we’re working to nourish the communities we live and work in and care for those who make dairy possible. Our efforts are inspired by our farmer-owners, who guide our giving and keep us focused on making a meaningful impact in the communities where they live and work.”
The International Dairy Foods Association Foundation also helps fill gaps, providing meals, milk and funding to food banks across the country. Its recent volunteer event at DC Central Kitchen included meal preparation and a donation of a half-truckload of shelf-stable milk valued at $15,000, enough to support more than 15,000 meals.
Milk and other dairy foods remain among the most requested items at food banks, yet perishability and refrigeration challenges make them less frequently donated, according to DFA. Programs such as DFA’s Giving Cow and Milk for Backpacks help bridge that gap, ensuring families receive fresh, nutritious foods even when resources are limited.
From yogurt and cheese to turkeys and shelf-stable milk, these initiatives show the dairy community delivering more than food. They offer support, nourishment and a lifeline to families nationwide, reflecting an industry committed to keeping communities healthy and resilient, both during the holidays and year-round.
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Source: Cheese Market News
