As efforts to boost regional food banks’ milk supplies enter a second year, several New England food banks will be sharing a gift of 1,000 gallons of milk from the New England Dairy Promotion Board (NEDPB).

Vouchers for 1,000 gallons were recently awarded to the NEDPB in recognition of its donation events in connection with The Great American Milk Drive, a national initiative entering its second year of providing highly desired and nutrient-rich milk to Feeding America food banks.

“Our food bank partners work tirelessly to source nutritious food to share with their clients,” says Jill Monti, NEDPB regional marketing manager. “We are so pleased to share these milk vouchers with the eight Feeding America food banks in New England we’ve worked with during the inaugural year of the milk drive.”

The organizations receiving vouchers include the Connecticut Food Bank, Foodshare, the Vermont Foodbank, the New Hampshire Food Bank, The Greater Boston Food Bank, the Worcester County Food Bank, The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts and Rhode Island Community Food Bank.

Several local donation campaigns organized by NEDPB have included retail partners, such as Hannaford Supermarkets and Adams Hometown Markets, and manufacturer partners including HP Hood, Guida’s Dairy, Cabot Creamery Cooperative, Booth Brothers and Monument Farms Dairy. The dairy farm families of New England play a key role in these initiatives.

“Milk is a uniquely nutritious product, produced right here in New England by local dairy farmers. We know from our food bank partners that milk is an item that is frequently requested but not always available to families in need, so we are pleased that we’ve made a difference in the lives of families struggling to put wholesome food on the table,” says Monti.

In addition to grocery store based campaigns and events, recent support for The Great American Milk Drive came from a grant from the Farm Credit East Cares Community Fund and a subscription drive by Edible New England Publications (Edible Boston, Edible Green Mountain, etc.).

The timing of this gift coincides with the start of the second year of The Great American Milk Drive and helps showcase the power of the milk drive and the importance of milk in a well-balanced diet.

—From The Great American Milk Drive news release