Dairy Farm Families Make Contribution to Super Bowl Host Committee's '52 Weeks of Giving' in Minnesota

ST. PAUL, Minn., Dec. 13, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Midwest Dairy Council has announced it will provide $250,000 to provide Fuel Up to Play 60 Super School Breakfast grants – to support schools serving breakfast outside the cafeteria – to 52 communities across the state over the 52 weeks leading up to Super Bowl LII, to be held at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis in 2018.

Through funding from dairy farm families, the contribution will match other support to the Legacy Fund of the Minnesota Super Bowl Host Committee (MNSBHC), with grants of up to $10,000 per school. The effort begins the day after Super Bowl LI in Houston, Texas, starting a 52-week countdown to Feb. 4, 2018.

The support from dairy farm families is part of the MNSBHC's focus on 'Fun, Fuel, and Fundamentals,' with a goal to leave a legacy of healthier children for years to come.

Grants to schools from Midwest Dairy Council will provide Fuel Up to Play 60-branded equipment for schools to use in delivering enhanced 'Super School Breakfast' programs. Midwest Dairy Council staff members will also provide outreach and coordination with the 52 schools, which are selected by the MNSBHC and will be announced beginning in February.

"We are excited to be working with the Super Bowl committee to include Super School Breakfast in their 52 weeks of giving," said Kathy Skiba, a North Branch, Minnesota, dairy farmer who serves on the Midwest Dairy board. Skiba is representing the state's dairy farm families at MNSBHC events and attended a kickoff event for the school breakfast contribution at Minneapolis Bethune school in November. "Our dairy farm families and the Dairy Council have a 100-year legacy of supporting healthy children, and this is one more way we can make a contribution," she said.

A serving of milk is offered with every school breakfast, and the meals often include cheese or yogurt as well. Midwest Dairy's work with school breakfast has shown that when breakfast is served in the classroom, as a grab-and-go meal or after first period, more students participate.

"When children get breakfast, they learn better and feel better, and we know dairy is part of a healthy school breakfast," said Skiba.

"A healthy breakfast is the fuel kids need for a successful school day," said Dana Nelson, vice president of legacy for the MNSBHC. "We are thrilled to celebrate Super Bowl LII with 52 weeks of Super School Breakfast, providing 52 communities across our state with expanded options to ensure kids can start the day right."

The funding supporting the MNSBHC supplements existing school breakfast efforts which are part of Fuel Up to Play 60, a program of dairy farm families and the National Football League that began six years ago. It involves students and the community in eating better and getting 60 minutes of activity each day. Fuel Up to Play 60 is carried out through student leadership in more than 1,422 schools across Minnesota, and more than 73,000 schools across the nation.

Editor's Note: A photo of the check presentation can be downloaded at MidwestDairy.com.

Midwest Dairy Council^®, an affiliate of National Dairy Council, is the nutrition education division of Midwest Dairy Association. The Council is dedicated to dairy nutrition research and education through the investment of 8,000 dairy farm families across 10 Midwestern states, and is committed to child health and wellness through our collaborative program, Fuel Up to Play 60. For more information, visit www.midwestdairy.com. Follow us on Twitter and find us on Facebook at Midwest Dairy.

Fuel Up to Play 60 is an in-school nutrition and physical activity program launched by National Football League (NFL) and National Dairy Council (NDC), which was founded by America's dairy farmers, in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). The program encourages youth to consume nutrient-rich foods (low-fat and fat-free dairy, fruits, vegetables and whole grains) and achieve at least 60 minutes of physical activity every day.

Fuel Up to Play 60 is designed to engage and empower youth to take action for their own health by implementing long-term, positive changes for themselves and their schools. Customizable and non-prescriptive program components are grounded in research with youth, including tools and resources, in-school promotional materials, a website and student contests. Visit fueluptoplay60.com to learn more.

The Minnesota Super Bowl Host Committee is a private, non-profit corporation formed to plan and execute Super Bowl LII. Its Legacy Fund is a 501(c)3 charitable effort, leading 52 weeks of giving leading up to Super Bowl LII. For more information visit www.mnsuperbowl.com and follow @mnsuperbowl2018 on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat.

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SOURCE Midwest Dairy Council