Last year, right around this time while shopping at the grocery store my daughter Sophia spied a display of cans at our local grocery store. Before she even grabbed one, she asked "What is that? Can we get that?" Then she picked it up. She shook it and seemed confused at it's weightlessness. It was empty. I read the label to her, "It's a can of nothing."

I went on to explain how this can represented the fact that some families don't have enough money to buy the food they need. She noticed the slot in the top and realized it was a piggy bank of sorts. Her face lit up with the realization that she could fill the can, " I can put all my money in here and I can ask grammy and our neighbors and everyone we know and we can fill it up!"

We spent the year filling the can, sometimes forgetting about it on top of the refrigerator. The fridge that I continually restock every week with exactly what we need because we can afford it. Things like fresh fruit and vegetables, eggs and yogurt and milk. Things I know will sustain my family and help my kids grow. You're probably in the middle of making your grocery list for Thanksgiving and if you are chances are one of the things topping that list is milk. Like me you'll probably bake with it, add it to your gravy, mix it into the mashed potatoes and pour a glass of it for your kids when they ask. But not every family in the United States has access to milk, for some it is a luxury.

There are 46.5 million Americans who rely on food banks and overwhelmingly milk is the most requested item. Yet it is the least donated. Often when we think of giving to food banks we think of gathering up all the forgotten cans in the back of our pantry, we don't think of perishable items like milk. But the most nutritious food is perishable and ultimately what hungry families and children need. Which is why the Great American Milk Drive was started. The campaign aims at providing milk to local food banks to help ensure that local families in need have access to the nutritional benefits of milk.

It's easy to donate online or at a local grocery store and your donation automatically goes to your state's food bank based on the zip code you enter when donating. A donation of $5 can go a long way to making a difference.

If you're trying to think of ways to express your thankfulness this Thanksgiving Season, there's no better way to do so than to contribute to the Great American Milk Drive.

[Tweet "Donate the gift of milk this Thanksgiving @milklife #greatamericanmilkdrive"]

Want to make a difference? Click HERE to donate.

Thank you for making a difference!

--Sarah

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