Grantee Spotlight: The Milk Bank

The Milk Bank provides donated, pasteurized donor human milk by prescription or physician order to hospitals and outpatients.  Typically, recipient fees are covered by hospitals for inpatient use. Outpatients may contact their insurance providers for reimbursement information.  For families with medical need and financial or other barriers, The Milk Bank offers Tre’s Medical Relief Fund, an application-based sliding scale program.

“The Milk Bank has been fielding calls on the formula shortage – from generous milk donors, community leaders, and increasingly – desperate parents.  Some babies are on specialty formulas and when the specialty formulas were recalled earlier, these families turned to the “healthy baby” formulas on the shelves. With the shortage continuing, these babies are switching to a new type of formula every couple of days and it’s becoming detrimental to their health. It’s also very difficult for their mothers – who find themselves on a limited income and travelling from store to store to find formula. These fragile babies are being referred to The Milk Bank.  Some of these families will likely qualify for free donor milk through our Tre’s Medical Relief Fund, which is funded through philanthropy.”