Dairy Month is a time to celebrate all things dairy, including dairy heroes in our community both on and off the farm.
Our dairy farmers are donating milk across the state, but they need help getting it to the people who truly need it. This is where Derrick Felder and his staff at Lutheran Social Services come in. Derrick and his staff have been distributing food and milk in Las Vegas to those who need it through their DigiMart Distributions. This program is a grocery store-style, client-choice food pantry allowing homeless and low-income shoppers to feel dignified and choose the food they want to eat.
Derrick’s team distributes milk each week to those who need it. Milk is one of the most requested items at food banks. It’s a staple in many households, especially those with children. Dollar for dollar, milk offers more nutrition than any other food item you can buy. It has 9 essential nutrients and 8 grams of protein in every glass.
“The ability to provide milk to our pantry guests is important as we operate with donated items that may not have nutritional value required for daily consumption. Our partnership with the Dairy Council has made it easy to ensure every household we serve receives milk for a healthy eating lifestyle.” – Derrick Felder, Assistant Executive Director at Lutheran Social Services.
Derrick has dedicated his career to serving: from serving our country as a former United States Marine to serving our communities through Goodwill and Lutheran Social Services. He has a passion for serving those who are in need and his dedication to community stabilization makes him a great advocate and partner.
“I had the pleasure of meeting Derrick and his team for the first time during my community rotation for my dietetic internship program in 2017. I thoroughly enjoyed my time spent at Lutheran Social Services of Nevada learning about the organization, food pantry, programs offered, their partnerships, and all the work they do to help feed and assist our community. I quickly realized he was someone I would love to partner with for future programs and projects. Derrick is a genuinely kind soul. His energy, passion, and commitment to serve those in need is impeccable.” – Jennifer Cuozzo, Nutrition Communications Manager, Dairy Council of Nevada.
A healthy community is a happy community. And we’re so glad we are able to work with Derrick and Lutheran Social Services to contribute to both.
