In recognition of National Breastfeeding Awareness Month, Mothers’ Milk Bank California is hosting a milk drive at Sharp Mary Birch Hospital for Women and Newborns.
These events make it easier for families to donate lifesaving breast milk for medically fragile infants and help meet the growing demand, a news release said.
August is National Breastfeeding Month, a time to elevate awareness, champion breastfeeding parents, and advance policies that foster supportive, breastfeeding-friendly environments.
| Date | Time | Location | Event |
| August 7 (Thursday) | 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. | 3003 Health Center Dr, San Diego | Sharp Mary Birch Hospital For Women & Newborns |
This year’s theme, “Forward Together,” is considered a call to action urging communities, healthcare providers, and policymakers to unite in ensuring every parent receives the support they need to breastfeed successfully and, when able, donate their milk to help nourish babies in need.
The need for donor milk has never been greater. Following the passage of California’s Assembly Bill 3059 last year, which expands equitable access to donor human milk for medically vulnerable infants and requires insurance companies to cover it when deemed necessary, MMBCA has seen a 30% increase in demand across the state.
Milk drives are an essential strategy to meet this surge, ensuring a steady and sufficient supply of safe, pasteurized donor milk, the release added.
“Donor milk is a vital part of the breastfeeding support ecosystem—especially for babies in neonatal intensive care units who may not have access to their mother’s milk,” said Jennifer Benito-Kowalski, chief executive officer of Mothers’ Milk Bank California. “When we make it easier for families to donate, we make it possible for more babies to thrive. We’re building a movement rooted in equity, access, and the collective power of milk donation.”
The World Health Organization recommends that infants be exclusively breastfed for the first six months of life due to the crucial nutrients and antibodies they need during this critical growth period.
Access to breast milk impacts a baby’s entire health trajectory. As California’s only nonprofit Human Milk Banking Association of North America-accredited milk bank, MMBCA collects, pasteurizes, and distributes donor milk to hospitals and outpatient families throughout the West Coast and beyond.
Throughout August, MMBCA invites new and existing milk donors to participate in a local or virtual milk drive, helping to normalize milk donation as a powerful extension of breastfeeding support.
