Kodiak farmer Kelli Foreman poured gallons of fresh, pasteurized cow’s milk into glass bottles.
“Milk is such an incredibly nutrient-dense, very simple thing for kids. Like a kid can open up the door of the refrigerator, pour themselves milk and you’re good to go," she said.
Her two sons deliver the bottles — about 42 gallons a week — to local families in need. Foreman, who is both a farmer and the executive director of the Kodiak Baptist Mission, calls it Milk on a Mission.
"I also know that every single day this winter I'm going to have milk. No barge is going to keep that away, you know, no shortages," Foreman said. "We are going to have this milk, and further, I know that it's the very best quality milk — that full-fat good milk."
It’s Grade A certified milk, meaning it’s been pasteurized and meets other sanitary standards. Foreman also operates the only Grade A certified goat dairy in Alaska.
She hopes to donate more milk to more people once her third dairy cow is ready to start milking in mid-December. Then, Foreman said she’ll donate all of that cow’s milk throughout the course of 2026 — roughly 2,100 gallons. By mid-year, she could scale up even more.
“Come June, another cow is going to have a calf," she said.
Which means a fourth milk cow.
Producing milk can be expensive, especially the feed, the equipment and the bottles. So Foreman said she is targeting philanthropic donors or business owners to finance her project.
Her goal is to raise $52,000 by Dec. 15, when the third cow, Ellie Mae, should be ready to start milking. Off-island donors had already given $5,000, as of November.
Foreman hopes to be an example for nonprofits around the country that could team up with local farmers to provide milk or food.
“Always it’s been that I really would like to help motivate other people, too," Foreman said. "It’s never been my goal just to serve Kodiak, and that’s part of Kodiak Baptist Mission. I hopefully want to help inspire other people to do that.”
Right now, Foreman provides milk to people mainly by word of mouth. To sign up to receive milk or for more information about Milk on a Mission, go online to the Kodiak Baptist Mission’s website.