Milk Cooler Won for Beacon of Hope Family Care Center

Director of Beacon of Hope, Karen Leif

Michigan Dairy Farmers Give Milk Cooler to Beacon of Hope Family Care Center 

United Dairy Industry of Michigan delivers refrigeration units to 18 food pantries across the state.

ST JOHNS, Mich. [May 29, 2020] – Beacon of Hope has been awarded a dairy cooler as part of a United Dairy Industry of Michigan (UDIM) pilot grant program. The program provides local food pantries with a refrigeration unit to help store milk and dairy foods at proper temperatures.

Carla and Kris Wardin nominated Beacon of Hope Family Care Center in St Johns to receive the milk cooler, along with funds for the food pantry to fill the cooler with milk at delivery. 

“The cooler and funds are a tremendous blessing,” said Karen Leif, Director of Beacon of Hope.  “Our numbers have increased greatly due to the fallout from the pandemic:  job loss, loss of work hours, and children out of school.  We are grateful to the United Dairy Industry of Michigan for helping us to provide much needed dairy supplies to those in need in our community.”

In Michigan, one in six people and one in five children are food insecure. Especially now, food pantries play an essential role in helping to bridge this hunger gap as families navigate the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Our Michigan dairy farmers understand how important it is to get nutritious dairy foods into the hands of people who need them most, especially now at a time when food insecurity is high,” said Sharon Toth, CEO of UDIM. “This milk cooler pilot program ensures dairy foods maintain peak freshness while increasing dairy’s availability to families in the community.” 

To learn more about healthy dairy foods, delicious recipes, dairy nutrition and other UDIM programs, visit milkmeansmore.org. 

About the United Dairy Industry of Michigan

The United Dairy Industry of Michigan (UDIM) is dedicated to serving Michigan’s hard-working dairy farm families and promoting Michigan’s locally produced dairy products. UDIM is the umbrella organization for the American Dairy Association and Dairy Council of Michigan. These non-profit organizations provide dairy product promotion and nutrition education services on behalf of their funding members.