EASTON, Pa. — Little girl. Big gulp. Bigger smile. Better health.
Three-year-old Dion sat with a few of her classmates at a table at River Crossing YMCA at the Forks Education Center on Tuesday morning.
A YMCA staff member poured the child a glass of milk. Her eyes widened. She flashed a quick smile, then began slugging down the nutritious beverage.
She set down the glass, ran her tongue over her lips, smiled and slugged again.
“Like us, Giant really cares about making sure that our littlest community members have the nutrition and food that they need.”
Maggie Lester, vice president of corporate partnerships, River Crossing YMCA.
Happy and healthy. Such is the result of the generosity of The Giant Company’s $50,000 donation to the Y to buy nearly 13,000 gallons of milk for its preschool students.
The event, which included three members of the Giant’s food market location in Easton and several from the corporate community relations team, was a day that underscored the benefits between corporate charity and children’s wellbeing.
“We’re celebrating the great relationship and partnership we have with the Giant food company for four years now,” said Maggie Lester, vice president of corporate partnerships for River Crossing YMCA.
“Like us, Giant really cares about making sure that our littlest community members have the nutrition and food that they need.”
'Really important to us'
Members of the Giant team toured the nearly 19-year facility, with a few of them reading to the children from a book titled — and intentionally chosen for the milk donation occasion — “Don’t Tickle the Cow.”
“The company has three giving pillars,” said Courtney Hopcraft, manager of community relations and charitable giving for The Giant Company.
“When you think about school, the number one school supply is food. If kids do not have the nutrition they need, they can’t be successful in the classroom."
Maggie Lester, vice president of corporate partnerships for River Crossing YMCA
“One of those is eliminating hunger. A second pillar is, changing children’s lives. We know it's really important that children receive milk and dairy as part of their overall nutritional wellness.
“This work is really important to us.”
The River Crossing YMCA provides daily child care services to nearly 140 children, six weeks old to preschool.
Children are served milk with breakfast, lunch and during the afternoon snack.
“We’re kicking off June, which is National Dairy Month,” Hopcraft said. “We really believe in the importance of dairy and the agriculture industry in Pennsylvania.
"There’s a lot of synergy here between dairy and milk impacting children’s nutrition and ultimately eliminating hunger in the communities we serve.”
The donation by Giant helps in the development of children’s bodies as well as their minds.
“When you think about school, the number one school supply is food,” Lester said. “If kids do not have the nutrition they need, they can’t be successful in the classroom.
“So being able to provide that number one school supply to all of our kiddos is one of our top priorities. Making sure that they're fed and ready to learn makes a difference.”