“In the summer, many children lose access to school meals and face the increased reality of food insecurity,” said Ann Queen, Parmalat brand director. “We understand the vital role that milk plays in providing essential nutrition, especially for our children. That’s why we are partnering with the Arizona Food Bank Network and the California Association of Food Banks. Through our collaboration with these two remarkable organizations, we want children in need in California and Arizona to have access to nutritious milk throughout the summer months.”

Parmalat is a brand of Lactalis USA. Hunger Doesn’t Take a Break for Summer is part of Lactalis’ ambition to increase access to nutritious dairy products, especially for those in need. Dairy products are one of the top needs in food pantries, and Parmalat Milk allows pantries to provide patrons with 100% real Grade-A milk that has no added preservatives and doesn’t require refrigerated storage. Because it’s pasteurized at an ultra-high temperature and sealed in Tetra Pak packaging, Parmalat Milk is a shelf-stable product that doesn’t need to be refrigerated until opened.

 “With the extreme heat in Arizona, hunger should be the last thing on parents’ minds during the summer. There are statewide programs to make sure summer meals are available for families who need them while school is out, but our food banks and pantries need to be well-equipped to handle the gaps that will inevitably occur. Having plenty of dairy products available is essential.” says Terri Shoemaker, executive vice president of The Arizona Food Bank Network.

“Milk is central to many California families — and it’s one of the most coveted items sought by food bank visitors. The fact that Parmalat is shelf stable helps food banks better enable access to milk to even more Californians,” said Stacia Levenfeld, chief executive officer of the California Association of Food Banks. "We are grateful to Parmalat for this partnership and for donating milk to our food banks.”

Consumers are invited to join Parmalat in the fight against childhood hunger this summer by visiting an Albertsons or Safeway in Arizona or southern California and purchasing a carton of Parmalat Milk