Food insecurity is widespread across America—and rural communities face distinct pressures. Feeding America’s 2026 Map the Meal Gap estimates that 47.9 million people experienced food insecurity in 2024, while USDA reported 18.3 million food-insecure households. Rural counties account for 86% of the counties with the highest food-insecurity rates nationwide. Feeding America’s latest Elevating Voices findings show how that pressure is landing: 60% of neighbors surveyed do not feel financially stable, 48% delayed bills such as rent or medical expenses to afford groceries, and 52% relied on credit cards, loans or borrowed money to keep food on the table.

Lower wages, longer travel distances, fewer grocery options and higher transportation costs can make food access harder even in communities that help produce the nation’s food.

America’s dairy companies can help.

Here’s How You and Your Company Can Put Dairy Nutrition into Action

1. Act With the IDFA Foundation

The IDFA Foundation is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt public charity that gives individuals and dairy companies a direct way to support hunger relief and nutrition access.

Individuals can give

Anyone can make a tax-deductible contribution to the Foundation. 100% of financial contributions made through Share the Nutrition will go directly to hunger-relief organizations. Make a donation by following this link.

IDFA companies can give

Member companies can provide financial contributions or dairy product donations, support Foundation service activities, or contribute to hunger-relief activations held around major IDFA meetings.

Service event and/or donation opportunities will take place ahead of several IDFA events throughout the year. Visit the IDFA Foundation’s website for a full calendar of events.

Interested in giving, donating product or getting involved? Connect with Andrew Jerome, IDFA Foundation Executive Director at [email protected].

2. Partner with Feeding America

Companies can connect with Feeding America and the network through national and regional pathways:

Product donations

Food and grocery companies can use Feeding America’s free MealConnect platform to offer eligible product and connect with a local network partner that can coordinate pickup.

Corporate giving and partnerships

Feeding America works with businesses on financial support, strategic partnerships, employee engagement and cause-marketing opportunities.

National and regional food-industry relationships

Companies with ongoing product opportunities can connect with Feeding America’s supply chain team. State associations and regional cooperatives across the Feeding America network can also help connect dairy partners with food banks and opportunities across multiple markets.

Connect with Jerod Matthews, Feeding America Senior Director of Dairy Supply Chain at [email protected] for more information on how to get involved.

3. Build a Local Dairy Supply Partnership

A strong dairy partnership starts with a conversation about what neighbors need and how dairy companies and food banks can help make those foods available more consistently. Depending on local needs, that can include donations, recurring purchasing relationships or a combination of both.

Become a regular supplier: Explore recurring orders for milk, cheese, yogurt or other dairy foods.
Offer preferred or reduced pricing: Consider a food-bank purchasing model that helps make regular dairy purchases more affordable.
Connect sales with philanthropy: Grants, sponsors or donors can help underwrite purchases from local dairy suppliers.
Donate available product: Contribute surplus or other eligible products directly or through food-rescue channels.
Build a hybrid partnership: Combine recurring sales with product donations, freight, refrigeration support, financial contributions or employee volunteerism.

4. Share Your Impact

Dairy companies are already making an extraordinary difference—but much of that work happens locally. IDFA wants to capture that work as part of our industry’s collective story. Follow this link to share.

Tell IDFA what your company is doing. Share:

dairy donated, sold or supplied to hunger-relief organizations;
financial contributions;
employee volunteer efforts;
food-bank and community partnerships;
refrigeration, transportation or other support; and
stories and photos showing your impact.

We want to recognize your work, better understand dairy’s collective contribution to hunger relief and demonstrate how our industry is helping make nutritious foods more accessible across America.

Every Action Helps Nourish a Community.

When dairy companies make nutritious foods more accessible, we do more than give back. We demonstrate through action dairy’s important role in nutrition, health and strong communities.

Share dairy. Share nutrition. Strengthen communities.