Great NW Milk Drive to benefit pre-term infants!

Northwest Mothers Milk Bank, the Central Oregon Breastfeeding Coalition and Nourish Lactation are hosting “The Great NW Milk Drive” to spotlight the importance of non-profit milk donations that benefit infants across the region, especially infants who are born prematurely. Human milk donations from screened milk donors will be collected at the event.

The event will be held on Saturday, June 21st from 12:00 noon to 3:00 pm, at Nourish Lactation, 2855 NW Crossing Drive, Suite 201 in Bend. Milk donors who are already screened and approved will be able to drop off their milk donations, meet other donor moms and recipients of donor milk, and hear from experts about the importance of donor milk for the health of infants in NW communities. Lactating persons who are interested in milk donation are encouraged to contact NW Mothers Milk Bank (NWMMB) at 800-204-4444 to begin the screening process now, but screening and blood testing can also be done on-site at the Milk Drive.

NWMMB has set a goal to screen and approve 6 new donors and collect 1200 oz of human donor milk at the event. Last year, over13,000 oz. of donated milk was collected from donors in Bend area and nearly 10,000 oz of pasteurized donor human milk was dispensed to St Charles Medical Center where it reached infants in the NICU and Family Birth Center. Also in 2024, Central Oregon Locavore dispensed 7600 oz of safe, pasteurized donor milk to Bend families whose infants are prescribed donor milk at hospital discharge. This wonderful option for outpatient families is only possible due to the generosity of amazing milk donors!

Scientific evidence has shown that donor human milk provides the best alternative to a parent’s own milk, offering optimum nutrition and protection from disease. Donor human milk contains immunological components that are unique and essential for an infant to grow and thrive. When an infant is born prematurely, a mother’s body may not be ready or able to produce breast milk immediately. Donor milk helps to fill the gap until a mother can provide for her baby.

Northwest Mothers Milk Bank is the only non-profit human milk bank in the Pacific Northwest and ensures that milk from Northwest donors reaches Northwest babies. Through vigorous screening and testing of donors, pasteurization and testing of milk, and equitable distribution to hospitals and families, the milk bank supports the importance of human milk feeding for all babies. NWMMB is accredited by the Human Milk Banking Association of North America (HMBANA).

Nourish Lactation is a private Lactation Clinic in Bend. It is run by a small team of healthcare professionals who are deeply committed to providing clinical support for lactation and infant feeding. Nourish Lactation is a certified NWMMB Milk Drop Site. The staff receives and stores milk donations from local donors, and then safely packs and ships it to NW Mothers Milk Bank for processing. This service helps to ease the process of milk donation by offering a convenient local place for Central Oregon families to drop off their gift of milk.

The mission of the Central Oregon Breastfeeding Coalition is to improve communication and coordination of breastfeeding services to better educate, promote and support all families in Central Oregon.

Donated milk that is pasteurized by NW Mothers Milk Bank is part of the care received by newborns at St. Charles Medical Center in Bend. Premature infants and infants who need supplementation are offered pasteurized donor human milk until their parent’s own milk is available. Once an infant is discharged from the hospital, they can also access pasteurized donor milk, by prescription, from Central Oregon Locavore.

This story is based on submitted information and has not been verified by our news team.

This article appears in Source Weekly June 12, 2025.