Organic Valley Donates Meat, Dairy to Food Pantries Nationwide
As the COVID-19 pandemic impacts communities across the country, Organic Valley has provided more than 140,000 pounds of organic food to communities in need.
Through its connection with Grassroots Aid Partnership (GAP), a non-profit that gives healthy food and aid to underserved and overlooked communities in crisis, Organic Valley has delivered thousands of pounds of organic food to New York and New Orleans, two of the cities hardest hit by COVID-19 and to communities in Southwestern Wisconsin, where the cooperative has its base of operations. Donated products included organic protein shakes, shelf-stable milk, butter, cream cheese and more.
“As a cooperative, we believe in taking care of others,” said Stacy Fahey, public affairs manager at Organic Valley. “We’re proud to give back to our local communities in southwest Wisconsin and to work with our partners at Grassroots Aid Partnership to support food insecure communities across the nation. In these difficult times, no one should go hungry or struggle to access nutritious food.”
In addition, Organic Valley continues to deliver healthy, organic products to grocery retailers nationwide, and the cooperative has not required its farmers to dump milk.
“We identified New Orleans early on as an area that would be hit hard by both the virus and by the resultant lack of tourism. They’re now seeing unemployment levels at 25 percent,” said Dave Anderson, GAP founding member and executive director. “Grassroots Aid Partnership and the patrons of Second Harvest Food Bank in New Orleans are grateful to Organic Valley for coming through with a whole truckload of products in this crucial time and even shipping it down to the location!”
Donations include the following:
Food Bank for New York City
Location: Bronx, New York
Donation: More than 36,000 pounds, or more than 47,000 bottles, of Organic Fuel protein shakes
Description: Organic Valley and GAP sent a truckload of Organic Fuel protein shakes to the Food Bank for New York City, located in the Bronx. The Food Bank reaches many, supporting Bronx, Kings, Queens, New York NY and Richmond counties. Each year, the food bank distributes 65 million pounds of food to people struggling with hunger.
Second Harvest Food Bank of Greater New Orleans
Location: New Orleans, Louisiana
Donation: More than 35,000 pounds of protein shakes, butter, half-and-half, cream cheese and milk
Description: Organic Valley and GAP sent a combination of Coffee Organic Fuel, half-and-half and more. This donation was made possible by GAP’s outreach and analysis of communities hit hardest by COVID-19 and in greatest need of support.
Southwest Wisconsin Food Banks, Pantries and Drives
Location: Southwest Wisconsin
Donation: More than 70,000 pounds of milk, half-and-half, yogurt, cottage cheese, cheese and summer sausage snack kits, beef sticks, Organic Fuel protein shakes and Stringles string cheese
Description: Organic Valley has prioritized ongoing donations to regional food banks in Wisconsin: Hunger Taskforce in La Crosse, Wisconsin, serves meal sites and food pantries throughout La Crosse, Vernon, Trempealeau and Monroe counties; Second Harvest Foodbank of Southern Wisconsin, a member of Feeding America, serves 16 counties, including Vernon and Monroe, where Organic Valley’s Wisconsin operations are located. In addition to ongoing food bank support, Organic Valley provided products to a food drive near its Cashton campus in early May.