This school year, Power Packs has launched our Milk Matters! Program. Milk Matters! is our initiative to provide one quart of 1%, fresh milk to every family enrolled in Power Packs. Currently, fresh milk is provided every other week when school is in session, with the goal to be able to expand the program and provide fresh milk every week.

Power Packs recognizes the vital role that nutrition plays in the ability of children to learn and thrive in school. According to the Food Research and Action Center, hunger impairs children's physical health, behavior, development, and school performance in significant and long-lasting ways. The educational component of Power Packs is critical to achieving the goal of systemic change and changing behavior among the participating children and their families.

Power Packs achieves this goal by not only providing food but all the items necessary for a family to cook a healthy meal together and create a healthy meal for everyone to enjoy. The cost of the ingredients is included with the recipe, so the family learns how to buy low-cost items and how to prepare these items for a nutritious meal for the entire family. Providing weekly milk will improve the pack of food distributed to the families by expanding the types of meals the families can prepare. Of course, fresh milk will also add to the nutrition the children receive. And feedback received from our participating families has shown that fresh milk is the number one requested item.

As you know very well, milk has long been associated with good health, making bones and teeth stronger, reducing the risks of chronic diseases, building muscle, and much more. That is why Power Packs is committed to delivering one of Pennsylvania's favorite beverages to the children we serve, who otherwise would not have access to fresh milk and the nutrients it provides. Your donation to the Milk Matters! Program will enable us to provide fresh, cold, nutritious milk to kids every week!