Milk and dairy foods will soon be on the table for families who need them most in California’s Central Valley due to a grant from the Legacy Health Endowment.

The $250,000 grant, awarded to the Dairy Council of California in partnership with Community Health Centers of America (CHCA), will help 100 families, primarily those with babies and toddlers living in rural Latin communities with limited access to healthy foods. These families will receive funds to purchase nutritious dairy foods plus culturally relevant nutrition education and community referrals to support a healthy start in life. Dairy Council of California will provide nutrition training and resources to CHCA health care providers working directly with families and babies to encourage nutrition education as part of well-child visits.

Health professionals have a unique window of opportunity to share reliable nutrition information with parents and caregivers about nutrient-dense foods for children and families to make the connection between good nutrition and optimal growth, development, and long-term success.

This effort is an extension of several priorities for the Dairy Council of California, including a focus on nutrition security — defined as reliable access to enough affordable, nutritious food to avoid hunger and stay healthy — and a focus on improving nutrition during the first 1,000 days of life, from conception to age 2, to influence better health outcomes. In addition, the Dairy Council of California regularly works with health care providers to ensure dairy foods are recommended to children and families as an important component of healthy eating patterns.

At the Dairy Council of California, we believe collaboration is vital to maximize collective impact and ensure children are supported to grow healthfully. The partnership with CHCA is one of many leveraged by the Dairy Council of California, and it can serve as a model to be shared with government agencies and others to expand similar programs in the future. As more people and organizations work together, we can make an even bigger difference, elevating the health of children and families through the pursuit of lifelong healthy eating patterns. Join us by visiting HealthyEating.org.