How Texas Dairies Are Giving Back During the Holidays
The holidays are when many dairy families think hardest about neighbors. Here is how giving usually works, how to plan your own and what to confirm before you donate.
What does holiday giving look like?
The headline describes Texas dairies giving back in a general way. Specific efforts differ by farm and region, so check with the group involved before you rely on a particular program. Common forms of giving include dairy donations, meal boxes, toy and coat drives, and volunteering at community dinners.
Giving does not have to be big. A single case of milk delivered to a church kitchen can mean a lot.
Some dairies pair giving with a family tradition, such as an annual dinner or a holiday basket delivery. Traditions are easy for children to join and help giving become part of a family's identity.
How do you pick a recipient?
Start with needs close to home. Call a pantry, church, school or shelter in your area, and ask what they need and when. Needs shift quickly, and an unplanned donation can be hard to handle, especially for perishable foods.
County Extension offices, such as those connected with Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, can also point to local efforts. Ask about hours, storage and delivery.
Ask about timing. Many pantries are flooded with donations in December and short on supplies in the spring. If you can, spread your giving across the year, and mention that to the recipients.
How do you handle dairy safely?
Milk, cheese and other dairy products need cold storage. Confirm that the recipient has refrigeration and a plan to distribute quickly. The FDA and CDC publish general food safety guidance, and USDA FSIS has guidance for meat and poultry items often donated alongside dairy.
Never donate products that are past date or that have been out of temperature control. When in doubt, throw it out.
Be careful with transport in warm weather. Even a short hot drive can warm milk too far. Use insulated coolers, ice and a clear plan for how long dairy can safely be out.
- Confirm refrigeration
- Check dates
- Transport cold
- Deliver on a set schedule
- Get a receipt
What about money and time?
Money is often the most useful donation because pantries can buy what they need and use their buying power. Time is valuable too, especially around holidays when volunteers are scarce.
For tax questions, talk to a licensed tax professional, and see general information at the IRS. The farm money guide also covers how to budget for giving.
If you give through a charity, check how it uses donations. A quick look at its published reports and a call to its office tells you a lot.
Another idea is to pair giving with learning. A family can talk with children about how much it costs to feed a household, and decide together how much to give and to whom. That conversation often matters more than the amount.
How can youth and families take part?
Holidays are a great time for 4-H and FFA groups to organize drives. Kids can write cards, wrap gifts or collect coats. The fair and rodeo guide has more on youth activities, and Dairy MAX promotes dairy education across the Southwest.
Parents should help kids see the person behind the donation. A short visit to deliver gifts teaches more than a stack of cans.
Include the kids in thank-you notes. Recipients love to hear from donors, and children learn that giving is a relationship, not a transaction.
What can you do on a tight budget?
Offer your skills. A welder can fix a pantry shelf, a bookkeeper can help with taxes and a cook can run a kitchen shift. Ask neighbors to join, and share the work.
For a lighter holiday read, farm.FM has dairy stories and country music, plus a farm.FM story about holiday giving. Verify any program details with its organizer.
Neighbors can also give by organizing rides or snow and ice help in bad weather. In the Stephenville area, a flat tire and a long road can be a bigger barrier than a missing meal.
Be realistic about your own capacity. December is busy on a dairy, and cows do not take holidays off. Pick a project that fits your labor and your budget, and do it well rather than promising more than you can deliver.
Sources and further reading
- Texas A&M AgriLife Extension: Texas extension service
- FDA: food and drug safety
- CDC: public health
- USDA FSIS: meat, poultry and egg product safety
- IRS: federal tax guidance
- Dairy MAX: dairy promotion in the Southwest
Ask locally: Ask a local pantry, church or county Extension agent what is needed right now.