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Gleaners is making an impact with milk

A growing partnership between the dairy industry and a food distribution network is helping expand access to fresh milk.

“We can take $10 and we can turn it into 12 gallons of fresh milk to go out into our community.”      

Chief Operating Officer Julie Beamer with Gleaners Community Food Bank in Southeastern Michigan says a persistent warehouse operator was constantly stressing the need for milk and he was right.

“The need is huge.”     

Since partnering with the dairy industry in Michigan five years ago, Beamer says they’ve been able to donate more than a half a million gallons of milk to the Metro Detroit area.

“It is a perishable product, so it does not get donated in, the challenge also is having the funds to be able to purchase the milk is a challenge for the food banks, additionally it takes refrigeration.”

She says they’ve also been building infrastructure throughout their distribution channels for fresh milk and along the way have been able to visit the farms who produce it.

“We were incredibly impressed with the level of technology, the humane treatment of the animals, the commitment to sustainability, and, overall the efficiency of the supply chain.”   

For Beamer, it’s only the beginning. “We are only just scratching the surface in terms of what the need is out in the community.”      

Gleaners Community Food Bank in Detroit was recently recognized with the Outstanding Community Impact Award by the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy.