Dairy Farmers of America (DFA), a national cooperative owned by family farmers across the U.S., is committed to helping nourish consumers across the United States and around the globe. In recognition of Hunger Action Month, DFA employees collected food and raised money to benefit Feeding America® and its network of food banks in their local communities.
Throughout September, DFA employees across the country donated more than 15,000 pounds of non- perishable food items for local food banks and pantries in the Feeding America network. Employees also raised nearly $5,300 through donations to the DFA Cares Foundation. The money raised through DFA Cares will go to Feeding America and help provide more than 50,000 meals for those in need.
“As a dairy food cooperative with global reach, we can help feed the world, but we’re also very committed to making contributions in the local communities where we live and work,” says Monica Massey, senior vice president and chief of staff at DFA. “Hunger exists in every city and town across America, and we’re proud of our employees who gave both time and resources to help their fellow neighbors who are struggling with food insecurity.”
For more than 10 years, Feeding America has organized Hunger Action Month to mobilize and encourage the public to take action against hunger in the United States, where one in eight families face hunger.
Below is a snapshot of the Cooperative’s Hunger Action Month efforts from across the country.
- At DFA headquarters in Kansas City, Kan., some employees participated in two different volunteer days at Harvesters, a regional food bank serving northwest Missouri and northeast Kansas. During the visits, employees helped sort and pack donated items and meals. One group also packed nearly 1,000 meals for Harvesters’ weekend meal initiative, which benefits low-income families. Employees also organized a canned food drive to benefit Harvesters.
- Employees in the Mideast Area collected monetary donations as well as non-perishable food items for the Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank.
- In the Northeast Area, employees sponsored a car wash, raffle and cookout to raise funds for Feeding America.
- In DFA’s Southwest Area, employees collected food through an office food drive benefitting Tarrant Area Food Bank, located in Fort Worth, Texas.
- At DFA’s manufacturing plant in Adrian, Mich., employees participated in a shift team challenge to collect non-perishable food items for Fishes and Loaves Food Pantry in Adrian, Mich.
- Employees at DFA’s plant in Middlebury Center, Pa. donated DFA Cares bags of food to the Wellsboro Area Food Panty in Wellsboro, Pa.
The DFA Cares Foundation was established in 2005 as a nonprofit charitable organization. Through the DFA Cares Foundation, DFA provides disaster relief via product and monetary donations, invests in the future of the industry by providing scholarships to students pursuing careers in dairy and donates nutritious dairy and food products to those in need.
Dairy Farmers of America is a global dairy food cooperative focusing on quality, innovation and the future of family dairies. While supporting and serving more than 14,500 family farmers, DFA works with some of the world’s largest food companies to develop ingredients that satisfy their customers’ cravings while staying committed to social responsibility and ethical farming. For more information, please visit dfamilk.com.
