UPDATE: Thanks to all who supported The River’s Giving Tuesday campaign! 160 donors generously gave over $40,000—plus, a $20,000 match—for a total of $60,540 to help provide milk and eggs for our Dane County neighbors in need.

Milk and eggs are staple foods rich in nutrients. Unfortunately, their prices at grocery stores have risen significantly, making them difficult for many low-income households to afford.

You can help ensure our neighbors in need have access to milk and eggs by supporting The River Food Pantry’s Giving Tuesday campaign on December 3.

Thanks to The River’s ability to leverage partnerships to get better prices, for every $1 you donate, you will provide a week’s worth of milk and eggs for one local family facing food insecurity.

Plus, all Giving Tuesday donations will be MATCHED up to $20,000, so you will double your impact!

We asked our clients what milk and eggs mean to their households. Here are a few responses:

• “Our family receives $23 a month through FoodShare, which does not go far. Everything from The River is so appreciated. We are big milk drinkers and cereal eaters. We also use milk and eggs a lot to cook our meals.”
• “Milk and eggs are a staple for us, and we can only get them from The River. Eggs are a protein that’s right up there with meat.”
• “Milk and eggs are so important to our family, whether it’s for breakfast, cooking, baking, or just drinking milk.”
• “My family of five goes through a gallon of milk every couple of days!”

Our clients also tell us the cost of food is the biggest barrier to accessing the nutrition their household needs. As the cost of groceries and other essentials rises, it can make buying basic items, like eggs and milk, more difficult. Not being able to buy these items can limit access to important nutrients, potentially impacting overall health. Data shows that eggs and milk are a vital part of a healthy diet, especially for growing children, pregnant people, and older adults.

To ensure access, The River offers ½ gallons of milk and a dozen eggs to over 3,000 people each week through our grocery programs, including curbside pickup, delivery, and online ordering. We frequently incorporate milk and eggs in our meals too. While a portion of our milk and eggs are donated or rescued through our recovery program, we must purchase the rest, which can cost over $5,000 per month!

How will your Giving Tuesday gift be used?

Your gift will allow The River to purchase a consistent supply of milk and eggs for our community throughout 2025. We will maximize your donation by purchasing in bulk at wholesale prices from our partners at Second Harvest Foodbank of Southern Wisconsin, allowing us to stretch every dollar further. This means your contributions will have an even greater impact, helping to provide more families with essential nutrition.

If we reach our goal of raising $50,000, The River will also be able to offer FULL gallons of milk to large families of 5 or more!

By helping The River purchase milk and eggs, you will nourish our community with the quality and quantity of nutrient-dense foods that our low-income neighbors cannot afford but need to eat healthy.

Together, we will expand access to free, healthy, milk and eggs throughout Dane County. Give to The River’s Giving Tuesday campaign on December 3!

About The River Food Pantry
The River is South Central Wisconsin’s busiest food pantry. Services include free groceries and freshly prepared meals for pickup or delivery, online grocery orders, mobile meals, and after-hours food lockers. The River also redistributes rescued food and resources to local partners to increase access while minimizing waste. Since 2006, The River has grown to serve over 3,000 people every week in pursuit of its vision: a fully nourished community. ​ Learn more here.

Because The River is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, your donations are tax-deductible to the fullest extent of the law.