Mayor Eric Johnson, Borden Dairy, Dallas ISD team up for initiative to distribute free milk
DALLAS -- Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson on Tuesday announced the launch of the Mayor’s Milk Initiative, a partnership with Borden Dairy to distribute thousands of gallons of milk to Dallas residents in need during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Borden Dairy, which is based in Dallas, is distributing fresh milk to nonprofits through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s new Farmers to Families Food Box Program, which is part of the Coronavirus Farm Assistance Program (CFAP).
Through the Mayor’s Milk Initiative, Borden will deliver the milk to Dallas ISD elementary schools and certain houses of worship. Mayor Johnson has partnered with local faith leaders to provide volunteers to help distribute the free milk at the sites.
“I am proud to partner with Borden Dairy on the Mayor’s Milk Initiative. With the help of Dallas ISD and our local faith leaders, this program will ease the burden on families facing hardships during the COVID-19 pandemic,” Mayor Johnson said. “Our city will get through these difficult challenges, and we will do so by working together, caring for one another, and helping those in need however we can."
Borden Dairy received the USDA’s largest award under the Farmers to Families Food Box Program and plans to distribute a total of 700 million servings of milk in the Southeast, Southwest and Midwest regions, including Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas.
“Dallas is our home, and we are proud to expand our local donation initiatives with the support of the Mayor, the Dallas ISD and other non-profit partners,” said Borden CEO Tony Sarsam. “Borden applauds the City for its rapid response to ensure DFW residents have convenient access to nutrition during this time.”
The mayor’s office and Dallas ISD are working to finalize the distribution sites. An announcement on the locations and dates will come later this week.
Dallas ISD Superintendent Michael Hinojosa said the Mayor’s Milk Initiative is a welcome addition to the district’s Grab and Go food program, which has provided over 4.5 million meals to students since schools were closed in mid-March.
“This new initiative adds great value to efforts to meet the nutrition needs of students and families,” Hinojosa said. “It is yet another example that, working together, our city can bounce back from this pandemic.”
For more information on COVID-19 and the City’s response efforts, visit DallasCityHall.com/coronavirus.
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