SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Dairy farmers from across the region teamed up with American Dairy Association North East to help build trust in dairy with hundreds of students at seven Fuel Up to Play 60 Touchdown events. Fuel Up to Play 60 is the nation’s largest in-school health and wellness program that was initiated with National Dairy Council and the National Football League.
“Fuel Up to Play 60 has been a gateway for us to secure dairy’s place in school meals, since milk is the “fuel” students need for success,” said ADA North East President Audrey Donahoe. “Our partnership with the NFL teams in our region has supported our efforts to make sure kids have access to nutritious milk and dairy foods – every single day.”
“We’re so fortunate to have the support of our dairy farmers for Fuel Up to Play 60, which is active in more than 70 percent of the schools in our region,” said ADA North East CEO John Chrisman. “It helps get our foot in the door to promote our school nutrition strategies that are designed to protect dairy in school meals.”
The events were the culmination of the students’ participation in Fuel Up to Play 60 during the school year, the nation’s largest in-school health and wellness program. They were rewarded for reaching “Touchdown” status by reaching all levels of the program and were treated to visits with NFL players, dairy farmers and dairy promoters.
Fuel Up to Play 60 is the flagship program of GENYOUth, the nonprofit organization that creates healthier school communities and was founded by dairy farmers and the NFL. It convenes a network of private and public partners, including Fortune 100 companies and foundations, to raise funds for youth wellness initiatives.
For more information about Fuel Up to Play 60, visit AmericanDairy.com and click on “In Schools.”
About American Dairy Association North East
American Dairy Association North East (ADA North East) is the dairy farmer-funded organization funded by participating dairy farmer’s checkoff investment to build demand and sales for milk and dairy foods throughout the local region. Representing nearly 9,000 dairy farm families in Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and northern Virginia, ADA North East develops and implements local programs to drive milk and dairy sales at retail outlets and in schools. The organization also conducts consumer education about dairy through events, traditional and social media, and in collaboration with health professionals through National Dairy Council®. ADA North East works closely with Dairy Management Inc.™, the national dairy checkoff organization, to support nutrition research, national partnerships and developing export markets for dairy to bring a fully integrated promotion program to the region. For more information, visit www.AmericanDairy.com, or call 315.472.9143.
