One of the most-needed items at food pantries is milk. But, it is one of the least-donated.
That’s what is behind the creation of “The Great American Milk Drive,” a 2014 push to provide milk for food pantries across the country.
The drive has been selected by 2014-15 SRC President Bill Dowd as the first of four quarterly club projects he’ll be designating during his presidency, which begins July 1. It fits the criteria of one of Rotary International’s six areas of focus — enhancing maternal and child health.
“In New York State, 3,150 gallons of milk have been donated so far this year of the 24,359 gallons donated nationwide,” Bill says. “Even though that is only 11% of the total, given our club’s history of effective quick-turnaround fundraising, imagine what a concentrated three-month effort can accomplish.
“Although people can make donations online of $5 and up to support the program, what I’m hoping for in SRC is for donations to be pooled, then donated as one lump sum as of August 31, the end of the Rotary first quarter. A onetime donation of as little as $35 per club member would result in a $1,000 contribution.”
In addition to the two-minute video above, you can access plenty of background information on the program by going to “The Great American Milk Drive’s” official website. There, you will find a continually-updated donation tracker, a state-by-state breakdown of how the drive is progressing.
In addition, the site has a variety of videos, including one from Bob Aiken, CEO of Feeding America, the national network of food banks that is behind the milk drive.
Southern Rensselaer County Rotary Club 