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The Impact of Milk

Pouring Hope into Every Glass

For many families, a glass of fresh milk is a daily morning staple. But when grocery budgets get tight, fresh dairy is often one of the very first items cut from the shopping list. 

Through the Farmers Feeding Florida initiative, food banks and local dairy partners—including processors like M&B Products and farms like Sutton Milk—have created a rescue pipeline moving surplus milk directly to our food banks. This initiative ensured that last fiscal year, 18.1 million pounds of fresh, wholesome dairy was distributed directly to Florida families. 

And the impact goes far beyond the record volume of dairy rescued. As Andrea McClellan of M&B Products points out, providing fresh milk isn’t just about donating extra food; it is about “completing a meal” and restoring dignity to local pantries.

From single mothers in Seminole County whose children light up saying, “Mommy, we have milk for our cereal!”, to TSA workers receiving emergency pantry support during government pay disruptions, and parents in rural Big Bend receiving fresh dairy alongside local produce—the testimonies below highlight what having consistent access to fresh milk truly means to our neighbors.

Here are the real stories from food bank leaders, parents, and community partners on how rescuing Florida milk is transforming lives across our state. This is the real impact of rescuing milk.

Cereal and Milk- As It Should Be

“I am a single mother with two children, and every month I have to be very careful with the money I have for groceries. Sometimes buying a gallon of milk is hard because there are so many other things my children need.

When I got milk at the food distribution, I was very happy. My children love milk, especially with their cereal. When my son saw the milk, he looked at me and said, ‘Mommy, we have milk for our cereal!’ That made me so happy because something as simple as milk can mean so much to us.

Getting milk helps me save a little money and use it for other things my family needs. I am very thankful to everyone who helps provide food to families like mine.”

– Sara, Seminole County,
Served by Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida

You Can Count On Us

“The steady stream of milk we’ve received from producers has made a meaningful difference for the neighbors we serve. Milk is a nutritious staple that families want and need, but rising grocery costs can make it difficult to keep in the refrigerator. Having a consistent supply to access allows us to provide families with fresh, wholesome milk they can count on across many of our programs. 

Parents are especially grateful, sharing how important it is to have this essential item available for their children. We are incredibly thankful to the producers whose generosity and commitment are helping us meet this need in our community.” 

– Judith Cruz,
President & CEO, Treasure Coast Food Bank 

Milk Within Reach

“One of the ongoing challenges for our food bank has always been providing fresh dairy to neighbors and partner agencies across our largely rural service area. In some communities we serve, families may travel more than 10 miles just to reach the nearest store, making access to nutritious staples like milk both difficult and expensive.

As a food bank, we strive to provide the pantry staples families need to build healthy, balanced meals. The addition of fresh milk helps children and families access a nutritious staple while saving money, gas, and time. It also allows our partner agencies to offer a more complete pantry experience by providing fresh dairy alongside produce and protein sourced from Florida farmers.

The impact extends well beyond pounds distributed. What may seem like a simple gallon of milk can help a family stretch their budget, provide a healthy breakfast for their children, and feel confident they are bringing home nutritious food.”

– Emmanuel Routsis,
Agency Relations Manager at Second Harvest of the Big Bend

Permission For Take Off

During various government shutdowns, Second Harvest  Food Bank of Central Florida delivered nutritious food – and hope – to hundreds of federal workers at three Central Florida airports while they worked without pay. Boxes of produce, canned goods and milk were met with gratitude.

“Your timing could not have been any better,” one TSA worker said, adding that she was picking up food for a coworker who was just diagnosed with cancer.

“I was just telling a friend that we didn’t have any milk, and I can’t afford it,” shared another worker. “Now I have two. Thank you.”

“We single moms, we make it work as best we can,” she said on the verge of tears. “Thank you for doing this. We really appreciate it.”

Saturdays are for Milk!

“Over the past year, we’ve worked with one of our partner agencies on Saturday milk distributions, with our truck staying onsite to keep the milk cold and ready as families came through. Having a steady supply of fresh milk available was especially meaningful for the families we served. Parents were incredibly grateful to be able to bring home a nutritious staple for their children, and the additional milk helped us provide even more fresh, healthy food to our neighbors.” 

– Dillie Nerios,
Community Outreach Advisor, Treasure Coast Food Bank

From Farm to Table

“Working with the Treasure Coast Food Bank has been a great partnership for Sutton Milk. Through the grant program, we were able to get more fresh, locally produced milk into the hands of families throughout our community who may not otherwise have access to it. 

As a local dairy farm, it’s important to us that the milk we produce serves our community. The grant program not only helped expand access to fresh dairy products, but also strengthened our partnership with the Food Bank and reinforced the value of connecting local agriculture with organizations that are making a real difference for families. 

We look forward to continuing our partnership and finding new ways to bring fresh, nutritious dairy products to the people who need them most.” 

– Lindsey Rucks,
Sutton Milk; Located at Milking R Dairy

To learn more about our milk rescue program and the history of Florida dairy, read our Commodity Chronicle on Milk and Dairy.

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