Dairy Farmers of America to donate two million milk bottles for families in need

Starting in December, Dairy Farmers of America will donate two million eight-ounce bottles of milk to food pantries around the country for families in need. 

The single-serve donated milks, labeled "Giving Cow" have a shelf life of 12 months thanks to special packaging, rather than a standard milk shelf life of 20 days.

"The Giving Cow milk packages are specifically designed for food pantries and kids backpack programs to fight hunger and will not be sold in stores," a spokesperson said in the press release. 

According to the DFA, milk is one of the most requested, but least donated, items at food banks. This is due to regional food pantries and shelters often lacking the necessary refrigeration to store fresh milk. 

“When we learned that millions of kids are missing out on nutrient-rich milk, which is a childhood essential, we knew that we had to try and be a part of the solution,” says Sharon Springborn, senior director of brand marketing at DFA Dairy Brands.

“The Giving Cow packs provide valuable nutrition and are shelf-stable, so they don’t require cold storage, which we know can sometimes be limited at smaller food pantries and shelters," Springborn said. 

Samantha Hendrickson can be reached at 414-223-5383 or shendrickson@jrn.com. Follow her on Twitter at @samanthajhendr.