GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas – June 1, 2022 – Dairy MAX, a regional nonprofit dairy council representing more than 900 American dairy farm families, has officially kicked-off the start of its annual blood donation event, Passion for Pints. Now in its 10th year, the Passion for Pints program directly supports local blood banks, promoting blood donation and incentivizing participants with “a pint for a pint” of dairy products at participating locations.
The program originated as an idea from the Oklahoma dairy community in 2013 to support National Dairy Month activities and quickly spread to other Dairy MAX states. It has been a natural fit for the industry, considering how community connected dairy farming is; milk typically stays local and is available in nearby stores within 48 hours.
To date, Passion for Pints has helped save more than 230,000 lives via over 77,000 donated units of blood. The American Red Cross and others note that by donating just one pint of blood a person could save up to three lives.
“Passion for Pints is as it implies: a passion-based effort from dairy farmers to ensure that communities have needs met,” said John Cass, director of industry image and relations. “We’ve always felt it was critical, but since 2020 the Dairy MAX team has heard about blood donation shortages more and more, making our annual commitment important. Our dairy farmers are hopeful that we can fill the gap this year, generating blood donations at a critical time, and bringing a bit of joy as a pint is exchanged for a pint.”
Hundreds of donation stations throughout four states––Colorado, New Mexico, western Oklahoma and Texas––are participating in Passion for Pints this year and will be available for contributions through June 30.
To learn more about dairy farming and farm family stories, check out the Dairy Up Close docu-series launched in 2021.
About Dairy MAX
Founded more than 40 years ago, Dairy MAX is one of the leading regional dairy councils in America––representing more than 900 dairy farmers and serving communities in eight states: Colorado, southwest Kansas, Louisiana, Montana, New Mexico, western Oklahoma, Texas and Wyoming. A nonprofit organization, Dairy MAX is part of a nationwide effort to support dairy farming and drive impact for every dairy farmer, while promoting American agriculture. The organization operates five audience outreach programs: business development, consumer marketing, health and wellness, industry image and relations and school marketing. For more information about Dairy MAX and its team of experts, visit DairyMAX.org. Dairy resources and delicious recipes are available at DairyDiscoveryZone.com.
