Press Releases

New Milk Coolers Enhance D.C. Summer Feeding Program

PHILADELPHIA (August 8, 2007) – With the start of summer vacation, many children throughout the Mid-Atlantic region are without daily access to nutritious meals. In our nation’s capitol, however, the Washington, D.C., Free Summer Meals program helps ensure that children in low-income areas have access to healthy food when school is out for the summer.

This year, Mid-Atlantic Dairy Association partnered with the D.C. Free Summer Meals program to make sure that children receive ice-cold milk as part of their meals. The local dairy promotion organization provided 250 “got milk?®” insulated coolers for feeding sites throughout the city.

“This generous donation of coolers from Mid-Atlantic Dairy Association has allowed many feeding sites to serve the required milk component in a safe manner,” said Dr. Cynthia Bell, director of nutrition services, D.C. Office of the State Superintendent of Education.

“The new coolers are great because they have a large capacity and can hold a lot of milk,” said Abdur-Rahim Muhammad, director of the Hung Tao Choy Mei Leadership Institute, which serves breakfast and lunch. “It is easy for kids to remove the milk through the top flaps, while still keeping it cold.”

According to Jillian Davis, a registered dietitian and school marketing manager for Mid-Atlantic Dairy Association, studies show that children are more likely to choose milk and drink more of that milk when it is served ice-cold. “By providing the coolers, we are giving kids an enjoyable milk experience, which will help create lifelong milk drinkers,” Davis said.

Summer food programs make sure children are surrounded by access to healthy food, even when school is out. Last July, more than 2.5 million meals were served to 28,000 children through age 18, making the D.C. Free Summer Meals Program the largest in the country. This year’s program is expected to reach more than 30,000 students. The meals are served in accordance with the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, and both breakfast and lunch must include a serving of milk.

Mid-Atlantic Dairy Association is the local planning and management organization funded by dairy farmer checkoff dollars. It works closely with Dairy Management Inc.™ and is responsible for increasing demand for U.S.-produced dairy products on behalf of local dairy farmers. For more information, visit www.dairyspot.com.