USDA EXTENDS DONATIONS OF NON-FAT DRY MILK TO FAITH BASED AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS NATIONWIDE
WASHINGTON, Nov. 8, 2004 - Agriculture Secretary Ann M. Veneman today announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture has extended for 90 days the program to donate non-fat dry milk to nonprofit, faith-based and community organizations for use in meal services or for distribution to needy recipients.
"This extended initiative will contribute to USDA's efforts to meet nutritional requirements of those in need while continuing to build on President Bush's Faith-Based and Community Initiative," said Veneman. "Distribution of non-fat dry milk to nonprofit, faith-based and community organizations is just one of many ways that USDA helps to feed the hungry."
The program, the National Nonprofit Humanitarian Initiative (NNHI), was announced Sept. 17, 2003 slated to end Sept. 30 but now will run through Dec. 31, 2004. The program provides excess inventory of non-fat dry milk to about 73 organizations that in turn deliver the non-fat dry milk (NDM) nationwide. The program is being extended due to popular demand by the nonprofit organizations. While NNHI helps meet the nutrition needs of the disadvantaged, the program also reduces surplus government stocks of NDM.
The NDM is being provided to the previous qualified non-profit organizations under the NNHI Agreement. USDA will provide up to an additional 10 million pounds of both instantized NDM fortified with vitamins A and D, as well as non-instantized and non-fortified NDM during this extended period. Since the program started in Sept. 2003, USDA has distributed about 44 million pounds of instantized NDM and 92.8 million pounds of non-instantized and non-fortified NDM, a total of 136.8 million pounds of NDM.
USDA has a long history of establishing partnerships with faith-based organizations to deliver assistance through domestic and international feeding programs. USDA also administers 15 domestic nutrition programs that touch the lives of one in every five people each day, including the National School Lunch Program, the School Breakfast Program, the Food Stamp Program, The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children.
Further information on this extended initiative can be obtained by contacting William Lang at (816) 926-6050; e-mail: WLLANG@kcc.usda.gov or Clyde King at (816) 926-2610; e-mail CPKING@kcc.usda.gov and to USDA press release no. 0322.03.
The following organizations received NDM in 2003.
AAFACD, Inc
Action Ministries, Inc.
America's Second Harvest
California Emergency Foodlink
Capital Area Community Action Agency
Cascade - Blue Mt. Food Share
Chelan-Douglas Community Action Council
Chreia Church Resource Center, Inc
Christian Care Center, Inc
Christian Relief Services, Inc.
CityTeam Ministries
Coastal Rescue Mission, Inc.
Community Ministry
Community Services Council
Cooperative Care Center
Farm Share, Inc.
Feed The Children, Inc.
Food Bank of Delaware
Food Finders Food Bank, Inc.
Goodness Outreach Depot
Gospel Rescue Mission
Guymon Community Enrichment Foundation
Harbor Haven Ministries
Harvesting International Ministry Center, Inc.
Inter-Faith Community Services
Jeffco Action Center, Inc.
Las Cruces Gospel Rescue Mission, Inc.
LESEA Global Feed The Hungry, Inc.
Love, Inc. of Tulare County
Midwest Mission Distribution Center
Mission Liberia Of One Accord, Inc.
Operation Blessing DBA Catholic Charities (Archdiocees of Chicago)
Operation Blessing DBA Catholic Charities, Diocese of Camden
Operation Blessing DBA Christian Faith Center of Creedmoor, Inc.
Operation Blessing DBA Christians For Change Resource Develop. Foundation
Operation Blessing DBA Church on the Move Plains Assembly of God