With a celebratory milkshake toast, Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding joined former NFL Philadelphia Eagles star, Torrey Smith, dairy industry leaders, Feeding PA food bank leaders, Pennsylvania dairy royalty, Pennsylvania Dairymen’s Association, and American Dairy Association North East (ADANE) at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex and Expo Center to kick off the 2022 Fill a Glass with Hope® campaign, a charitable fresh milk distribution program.
Launched in 2015 in Central Pennsylvania and Pittsburgh, Fill a Glass with Hope® expanded in 2016 to become the first statewide charitable fresh milk distribution program in the country. Since its inception, Fill a
Glass with Hope® has provided more than 27 million servings of milk to families in need through Feeding Pennsylvania’s nine-member food banks statewide. The fundraising for the 2022 campaign launched today with major donations of more than $180,000 (all donors listed below), including $25,000 Keystone sponsors FirstEnergy, Weis Markets, Columbia Gas, Coterra Energy and Land O Lakes.
“No one should be denied access to fresh milk, especially the half a million children in Pennsylvania who are facing hunger,” said Jane Clements, Executive Director of Feeding Pennsylvania. “Milk is one of the most requested items in our charitable food network and Feeding Pennsylvania’s member food banks are extremely appreciative of our dairy farmers and business leaders for investing in this amazing program so that we can purchase milk, at a reduced price, directly from local dairy processors and distribute it to Pennsylvania families in need.”
Secretary Russell Redding applauded the hardworking dairy farmers — who make up the largest segment of Pennsylvania’s agriculture industry — and more than 5,400 dairy farm families that provide for consumers, the hungry, and the state’s charitable food system.
“This campaign highlights the great work done by our partners in agriculture and the charitable food system to feed those in need throughout the commonwealth,” said Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding. “We cannot have a charitable food system without a food system that is charitable. Thank you for moving Pennsylvania closer to the goal of full nutritional security.”
Former NFL star, Torrey Smith spoke of his appreciation of the program from a personal perspective.
Torrey Smith, former Philadelphia Eagles player said, “Thanks to Fill a Glass with Hope® and with everyone’s help – from our dairy farmers to our Food Banks, to the sponsors – we can work together to get fresh milk to people in need. Fresh milk has become increasingly available at food pantries across Pennsylvania, giving kids and their parents another great choice, which is power packed.”
Dave Smith, Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Dairymen’s Association and dairy farmer Dina Zug, Zugstead Farm, Land O’ Lakes producer and American Dairy Association NE Board member echoed this sentiment.
“Pennsylvania Dairy farmers believe that all Pennsylvanians should have access to the important nutrition of fresh milk to power them through their day, including making sure food insecure families benefit from this wholesome protein-packed beverage. That’s why we are thrilled to support this amazing partnership and vital program, Fill a Glass with Hope®,” said Dave Smith.
After the milkshake toast to officially open the PA Farm Show Food Court, celebrities, including those from the media, joined efforts to tackle hunger as Celebrity Milkshake Servers at the PA Dairymen’s Association Milkshake Booth, to raise awareness and resources for the award-winning program. To learn more or to donate, visit www.feedingpa.org/milk.
2022 Sponsors: Modjeski and Masters, AgChoice Farm Credit, MidAtlantic Farm Credit, Pennsylvania Farm Bureau, Pennsylvania Dairymen’s Association, FirstEnergy Foundation, Columbia Gas and the NiSource Foundation, Weis Markets, Coterra Energy, Fulton Financial Corporation, Valley Grange #1360, Southwestern Energy, PSECU, The Giant Company, Swiss Dairy Premium, Valley Farms, Land O Lakes.
HUNGER FACTS IN PA:
- Nearly 2 million Pennsylvanians are at risk of hunger – this includes over 500,000 children.
- In Pennsylvania, 1 in 9 people struggle with hunger. For children, this number is 1 in 7.
- Since its inception, Fill a Glass with Hope® has provided more than 27 million servings of milk to families in need through Feeding Pennsylvania’s nine-member food banks statewide.
About Feeding Pennsylvania
Feeding Pennsylvania is a partnership formed among Pennsylvania’s Feeding America member food banks. Collective efforts promote and aid members in securing food and other resources to reduce hunger and food insecurity for their communities and across Pennsylvania, and provide a shared
voice on the issues of hunger and food access. Member food banks serve nearly 2 million people annually by distributing more than 164 million pounds of food through a network of more than 3,000 agencies. In 2016, each member food bank became licensed as a charitable milk sub-dealer by the
Pennsylvania Milk Marketing Board, allowing them to purchase milk from dairies at a reduced price in a program called Fill a Glass with Hope®. To donate to Fill a Glass with Hope®, visit www.feedingpa.org/milk.
About Pennsylvania Dairymen’s Association
The Pennsylvania Dairymen’s Association is the oldest dairy group in Pennsylvania. The Dairymen’s Milkshake is the top-selling, sought-after “PA Preferred Product” at the Food Court. The Pennsylvania Dairymen’s Association has been supporting “Fill a Glass with Hope®” with agriculture partners, Feeding PA, the American Dairy Association North East, the PA Dairy Promotion Program, corporate partners and food banks since 2015. Over the past four years, the PA Dairymen have donated more than $1.4 million to programs including The Calving Corner; the Fill A Glass with Hope® fresh milk campaign for neighbors in need; the Choose PA Dairy consumer education and awareness campaign; the PA Farm Bureau Mobile Ag Education Lab that travels to schools; and the PA Dairy Princess and Promotion Program. Their philanthropic efforts build a brighter future for all Pennsylvanians. For more information, visit www.padairymens.com.
About American Dairy Association North East
American Dairy Association North East (ADANE) is the dairy farmer-funded organization funded by participating dairy farmer’s checkoff investment to build demand and sales for milk and dairy foods throughout the local region. Representing nearly 10,000 dairy farm families in Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and northern Virginia, ADA North East develops and implements local programs to drive milk and dairy sales at retail outlets and in schools. The organization also conducts consumer education about dairy through events, traditional and social media, and in collaboration with health professionals through National Dairy Council®. ADA North East works closely with Dairy Management Inc, ™, the national dairy checkoff organization, to support nutrition research, national partnerships and developing export markets for dairy to bring a fully integrated promotion program to the region. For more information, visit AmericanDairy.com or call 315-472-9143.