SAN ANTONIO, Jan. 29, 2025—The IDFA Foundation and more than a dozen leading U.S. dairy companies and food retailers teamed up today to deliver 3.5 truckloads of nutritious milk and dairy products and donate nearly $40,000 to the San Antonio Food Bank to address hunger in Southwest Texas. The donations were announced at the 2025 IDFA Dairy Forum conference hosted by the International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) in San Antonio. Leaders from the dairy companies visited the food bank later in the day to share their gratitude with the staff for the work they do to serve people in need in 29 counties in Texas.
Approximately 3.5 truckloads of nutritious shelf stable milk, yogurt, and coffee creamer were donated by Diversified Foods, Inc. of Louisiana; LALA U.S. of Texas; Danone North America of Colorado; and Chobani of New York. A combined $38,500 in financial contributions were donated by Blue Bell Creameries of Texas; H-E-B of Texas; Ever.Ag of Illinois; Leprino of Colorado; Pacific Cheese of California; Select Milk Producers of Texas; Stanpac of Texas; and Tetra Pak, U.S. and Canada, of Texas. Altogether, the food and financial contributions will provide more than 200,000 meals to food insecure families throughout the 29 counties served by San Antonio Food Bank.
The IDFA Foundation is a 501(c)3 non-profit that seeks to make an important contribution to people and communities on behalf of the U.S. dairy industry by providing grants that reduce hunger, improve environmental sustainability, and enhance the welfare of people working in food manufacturing. Since 2022, the Foundation, supported in large part by contributions from U.S. dairy companies, has provided more than 700,000 meals to food insecure people in the U.S. and around the world through financial support and coordinated food donations to non-profit hunger relief organizations, including several Feeding America food banks.
“More than a dozen IDFA member companies stepped up in a big way to help their fellow Texans today, making this the single largest donation IDFA Foundation has helped to coordinate on behalf of U.S. dairy. We are so proud to bring these nutritious dairy products and financial contributions to the San Antonio Food Bank to benefit the people of Southwest Texas,” said Matt Herrick, executive director of the IDFA Foundation. “Our collective work as an industry to reduce hunger and strengthen nutrition is possible due to the IDFA Foundation’s strong partnership with the incredible people at Feeding America and its network of food banks across the country.”
“One of the most requested items at the Food Bank is dairy: fresh milk and yogurt or even shelf stable milk. Receiving truckloads of dairy is nearly unheard of, and we couldn’t be more grateful. We are deeply appreciative of the IDFA Foundation for giving back and creating a healthy environment in San Antonio,” said Eric S. Cooper, President & CEO of the San Antonio Food Bank.
The San Antonio Food Bank is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that distributes millions of pounds of food to over 500 organizations in Southwest Texas. Beyond food distribution, it offers programs that address immediate hunger and help individuals and families achieve long-term food security. According to the food bank’s financial report, it handled more than 91 million pounds of food over the past year, receiving the equivalent of a semi-trailer full of food every hour. San Antonio Food Bank partners with 671 non-profit organizations throughout 29 counties in Southwest Texas, serving families from Atascosa to Zavala Counties. Additionally, San Antonio Food Bank supports the efforts of the New Braunfels Food Bank, Frio County Food Bank, and San Angelo Food Bank to provide food assistance to one of the largest service areas in Texas.
The IDFA Foundation is also coordinating additional donations of milk, yogurt, cheese and other nutritious dairy foods to San Antonio Food Bank following the conclusion of the IDFA Dairy Forum event in San Antonio. “Thanks to the generosity of IDFA members, this additional effort will prevent food waste while continuing to address the nutritional needs of Texans,” said Herrick. “Thank you to our IDFA members for making these additional donations possible.”
To learn more about the work of the IDFA Foundation, visit www.idfafoundation.org.
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Contact
Matt Herrick, Executive Director
IDFA Foundation
mherrick@idfafoundation.org
The IDFA Foundation seeks to make an important contribution to people and communities on behalf of the U.S. dairy industry by providing grants to support individuals and organizations working to advance human health and nutrition, improve environmental stewardship and sustainability, and enhance the welfare of people working in food manufacturing. Established in 1958 as the Dairy Recognition and Education Foundation, today the IDFA Foundation promotes the health and well-being of people, communities, and our planet on behalf of U.S. dairy.