For Immediate Release
Contact:
Eric Slutsky, eric.slutsky@genyouthnow.org, 917-391-6709
Brooke Dillon, Land O’Lakes, Inc., 651-202-1670
GENYOUth and Land O’Lakes, Inc. Provide $100,000 in Grants to Rural Schools in Wisconsin and Minnesota for Meal Delivery and Service
ARDEN HILLS, Minn. (August 31, 2021) – GENYOUth,a national nonprofit organization dedicated to creating healthier school communities, announced today the donation of $100,000 to its End Student Hunger Fund by Land O’Lakes, Inc., in collaboration with Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin (DFW) and Midwest Dairy. The donation will provide 50 rural schools in Wisconsin and Minnesota with grants of $2,000 each to help nourish nearly 15,000 students on a daily basis. The funds will be directed to schools in high-need communities providing school meals to a higher percentage of students who qualify for free and reduced-priced (F/R) meals based on household income.
With USDA’s unprecedented decision to extend healthy school meals free of charge to all students regardless of household income through June 2022, GENYOUth recently collected survey data from over 1,000 school nutrition professionals nationwide to assess urgent concerns and needs for school nutrition programs as they prepare to feed more students in the upcoming school year. Among its results, the survey found that student hunger and food insecurity remain a top concern for schools.
“USDA’s extension of Universal School Meals creates opportunity to grow school meal participation and school milk consumption. Yet, anticipated increases in meal participation levels intensify existing challenges. As schools across the nation are beginning to open for the coming school year, they urgently need our help to address the gap in resources and equipment to prepare, distribute and serve meals to students in at-risk communities. I want to thank Land O’Lakes, Inc. for stepping up and providing support to schools throughout Wisconsin and Minnesota,” said Alexis Glick, CEO of GENYOUth.
“As a century-old, member-owned cooperative, Land O’Lakes, Inc. believes in supporting local communities and working together to make abundant, nutritious food available so our young people can realize their full potential. The battle against childhood hunger starts right in our backyard in the small communities of Wisconsin and Minnesota. We are excited and grateful to be part of a team that is committed to helping local schools end student hunger,” said Morgan Kinross-Wright, Vice President of Community Relations, Land O’Lakes, Inc.
“Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin is proud to partner with Land O’Lakes, Inc. and GENYOUth to help end food insecurity for Wisconsin families,” said Karen Doster, Director of Youth and School Programs for Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin. “We are thrilled to see this funding going to rural school districts in Wisconsin so there is equal access to nutritious dairy for students and their families statewide.”
“Midwest Dairy is committed to the families and communities of Minnesota, and we are grateful for the support that Land O’Lakes, Inc. and GENYOUth are providing to help ensure thousands of at-risk students receive the meals and nutrition they need,” said Molly Pelzer, CEO at Midwest Dairy.
With over 30 million students depending on school meal programs for a substantial portion of their daily nutrition, GENYOUth’s End Student Hunger Fund helps schools across the nation obtain the resources and equipment necessary to ensure continuity of school meal programs. Since the start of the pandemic in March 2020, GENYOUth has provided $20 million in cash and in-kind to 10,000 high-needs schools.
Donate today at https://genyouthnow.org/donate/ or text MEALS to 52000 to make a one-time $10 donation.
GENYOUth
GENYOUth is a 501c3 nonprofit organization that creates healthier school communities. We convene a network of private and public partners, including Fortune 100 companies and foundations, to raise funds for youth wellness initiatives that give youth the inspiration, motivation, and programs to be healthy high-achieving students. GENYOUth’s flagship program, Fuel Up to Play 60, enrolls over 73,000 U.S. schools, reaching over 38 million students. Our school nutrition grants increase access to healthy school meals among food insecure students. NFL FLAG-In-School is GENYOUth’s fastest-growing program with over 20,000+ school communities reaching over 11 million students. AdVenture Capital brings out the entrepreneurial spirit and creativity of students with the support of corporate mentors to solve real-world problems. And starting in 2021, GENYOUth is the official charitable partner of Taste of the NFL, a purpose-driven Super Bowl culinary experience that raises awareness and generates funds to fight hunger and food insecurity.
About Land O’Lakes, Inc.
Land O’Lakes, Inc., one of America’s premier agribusiness and food companies, is a member-owned cooperative with industry-leading operations that span the spectrum from agricultural production to consumer foods. With 2020 annual sales of $14 billion, Land O’Lakes is one of the nation’s largest cooperatives, ranking 219 on Fortune 500. Building on a legacy of over 100 years of operation, Land O’Lakes today operates some of the most respected brands in agribusiness and food production including Land O’Lakes Dairy Foods, Purina Animal Nutrition, WinField United and Truterra. The company does business in all 50 states and more than 60 countries. Land O’Lakes, Inc. corporate headquarters are located in Arden Hills, Minnesota.
About Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin
Funded by Wisconsin dairy farmers, Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin is a non-profit organization that focuses on marketing and promoting Wisconsin’s world-class dairy products. For more information, visit our website at WisconsinDairy.org.
About Midwest Dairy
Midwest Dairy® represents 5,800 dairy farm families and works on their behalf to build dairy demand by inspiring consumer confidence in our products and production practices. We are committed to Bringing Dairy to Life for a Better World by Working with Others to Give Consumers an Excellent Dairy Experience, and we are funded from farmers from across a 10-state region, including Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Arkansas and eastern Oklahoma. For more information, visit MidwestDairy.com. Follow us on Twitter and find us on Facebook at Midwest Dairy.