“Thirty half gallons of milk were received and distributed to families in town with elementary school age children who are in the need of a helping hand. We thank you for all you are doing for us during this difficult time.”
– Litchfield County Food Pantry
The UConn 4-H team led and coordinated Operation Community Impact, a grassroots effort to help local families with food insecurity issues intensified by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Extension EFNEP team and others are also instrumental to the success. The effort also addressed surplus milk issues that negatively impact dairy farms in the state due to the pandemic.
Our 4-H youth and volunteers delivered 160,000 pounds of dairy products. Donations have reached over 10,710 families in 57 towns through 96 food pantries. We had 88 families that volunteer with our programs donate their time and vehicles to move dairy products from central locations to the food pantries.
Operation Community Impact – CAP for National 4-H Youth Summit on Agriscience
“The Litchfield County 4-H members efforts to secure and distribute donated milk during this time of crisis for our community has been extremely helpful and very much appreciated by our clients. As an emergency shelter that services victims of domestic violence and sexual assault who are fleeing their homes, victims often come to our shelter with limited resources. While we work with victims to help them secure benefits and make referrals for food resources, this additional assist of what some would consider the most basic of food items has been a gift.”
– Susan B. Anthony Project Shelter in Torrington
CAHNR Extension Programs On The Project
UConn 4-H
“The families that our pantry serves are in significant crisis right now. They are relying on the food pantry for all of their food/meals. Typically, we are very limited in the amounts of dairy products we are able to receive and distribute. The milk, yogurt and sour cream has been a blessing – and has made a real impact. Families are now able to add this to their meals, providing a more balanced, nutritional meal and promoting overall health and well-being. THANK YOU!”
– Fairfield County Food Pantry Serving 115 Families
UConn EFNEP
Dairy Donors
- Agri-Mark Cooperative and Cabot Creamery
- Dairy Farmers of America and their local facility, Guida’s Dairy in New Britain
- H.P. Hood
In The News
Operation Community Impact News Clips and Articles
- Dairy Food Outreach with UConn Extension
- Dairy Herd Management article
- Farm Flavor: Feeding Connecticut: Addressing Food Insecurity and Rising Unemployment
- Fox 61: Guida's Milk Donates Milk to Litchfield County Video
- Fox 61: Guida's Milk Donates Milk to Litchfield County
- Lancaster Farming: UConn Extension Educator Launches Milk Donation Effort
- Litchfield.bz: Bunnell Farm Cooler Takes On Milk Excess
- Litchfield.bz: Cabot Dairy Products Help Food Pantries
- Litchfield.bz: Dairy Fund Covers Large Milk Donation
- Litchfield.bz: Donated Milk Flows to Flood Pantries
- Litchfield.bz: Grassroots Milk Delivery Aids Food Pantries
- Litchfield.bz: Hood Ice Cream Is Latest Donated Product
- Local 4-H Families Distribute More Milk to Those in Need
- Morning Ag Clips: UConn 4-H Litchfield County Helps Distribute Milk to Families in Need
- Morning Ag Clips: UConn 4-H Moves Over 78,000 Pounds of Dairy Products
- NBC CT: Surplus Milk Donation in Litchfield; But Future of CT Dairy Farmers Concerns Experts
- Operation Community Impact
- The Litchfield County Times: 4-H Members Supply 7,000 Gallons of Milk to Litchfield County's Poor
- Waterbury Republican American: Food Pantries in Western Connecticut Receive Large Donation of Surplus Milk
- Waterbury Republican American: Litchfield County 4-H Club Distributes More Dairy Products to Food Pantries
- Waterbury Republican American: Third Distribution
- UConn Today: Preventing Spilled Milk: UConn Responds to the Dairy Dilemma