The 2026 Fill a Glass with Hope® campaign – the charitable milk distribution program – kicked off at the Pennsylvania Farm Show with record-breaking sponsorship donations of $205,000.
Fill a Glass with Hope was initiated in 2015 by Pennsylvania dairy farmers in partnership with American Dairy Association North East, Pennsylvania Dairy Promotion Program, PA Dairymen’s Association and Feeding Pennsylvania. Thanks to generous supporters like those who donated for the 2026 kickoff, the program has distributed nearly 43 million servings of fresh milk through Feeding Pennsylvania’s network of 2,750 food pantries and agencies.
“With the ever-increasing number of food insecure Pennsylvanians, our dairy farmers and industry partners recognized the need for access to fresh, fluid milk, and took action,” said ADA North East CEO John Chrisman. “We’re so fortunate to have such a dedicated group supporting this cause for more than a decade.”
Pennsylvania Dairy Promotion Program and ADA North East board member Jim Biddle from Williamsburg, Blair County, participated in the kickoff event at the Farm Show.
“As a dairy farmer, producing milk is about more than what happens on our farm – it’s about the families we help nourish every day,” said Biddle. “Programs like Fill a Glass with Hope allow us to turn the care we give our cows and land into care for our communities, ensuring that families across Pennsylvania have access to the fresh, nutritious milk they deserve.”
Along with PA Dairymen’s Association Executive Director Dave Smith and Feeding Pennsylvania CEO Julie Bancroft, long-time Fill a Glass with Hope supporters Pennsylvania Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding and former Pittsburgh Steeler Charlie Batch also participated in the event.
ADA North East has expanded the Fill a Glass with Hope campaign with retailers in its six-state region. Last year, during National Dairy Month in June and Hunger Action Month in September, five different retailers encouraged shoppers to round up their change at checkout, raising nearly $380,000 to support local food banks in the purchase of fresh milk for their local families. In addition, county dairy promotion committees that are part of Pennsylvania Dairy Princess & Promotion Services raised nearly $22,000 that was donated directly to Feeding Pennsylvania.
To learn more about Fill a Glass with Hope, click here.