Julie Kushner

Senator Kushner’s Statement On ‘Operation Milk Delivery’ To Donate Half-Gallons Of Milk To Local Families

BETHEL – State Senator Julie Kushner (D-Danbury) today applauded the work of Guida’s Dairy of New Britain, the UConn Extension of Fairfield County and its 4-H members, and the Danbury Food Collaborative to distribute 1,950 half-gallons of milk to families in need.

The milk was donated by Guida’s, refrigerated in a truck donated by Chad and Camille Simoneau of Gulf Shrimp in Plantsville, stored at The Stony Hill Preserve in Bethel, and distributed to local food pantries by UConn Fairfield County 4-H volunteers.

“We have seen many great community efforts to help families impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and it really reflects the best of who we are as a nation,” Sen. Kushner said. “The pictures of cars lined up to lend a helping hand is awe-inspiring.”

Today’s milk delivery was a joint effort between the community and UConn Extension Fairfield Country; Fairfield County 4-H is the youth development component of UConn Extension. 4-H is a community effort across America in which youth work with trained volunteers to make a difference in their communities by learning and practicing personal development, leadership and citizenship. Operation Milk Delivery enabled 4-H members to experience firsthand the importance of serving their community.

“This is a win-win situation,” said UConn Extension 4-H Educator Ede Valiquette. “Due to the pandemic, schools and restaurants are closed. There is a milk surplus, and some farms have to dump their milk. Meanwhile, food pantries are in desperate need of more food to help provide nourishment for the increasing number of food insecure people, and pantries cannot afford to buy milk. UConn Fairfield Extension, with its local contacts and linkages and its youth volunteers, is ideally positioned to connect the surplus milk and desperate families in need of food.”

For more information about today’s event, please contact Ede Valiquette at edith.valiquettte@uconn.edu or 203-733-1387.