This August, community partners, donors, and breastfeeding advocates throughout California and Nevada truly showed up to meet the growing demand for donor milk.
August was National Breastfeeding Awareness Month, and here at Mothers’ Milk Bank California (MMBCA), we marked the occasion with a full calendar of celebrations, milk drives, and community gatherings across California and Nevada.
Together, families, hospitals, WIC programs, and community partners came together to celebrate the power of donor milk and the babies who depend on it. In 2025 alone, the demand for donor milk has already risen by 30% nationwide.
The community answered the call! More than 25,000 ounces of lifesaving donor milk were collected across 18 community events throughout the month.
Milk drives across California and Nevada
In Northern California, events took place in San Jose, Pleasanton, Fairfield, Santa Cruz, and San Francisco. Many milk drives were paired with walks and resource fairs, turning milk donation into a vibrant celebration that served the greater community.
At Santa Clara County WIC’s World Breastfeeding Week celebration, more than 700 parents and families lined the halls to donate their breast milk, collect essential items like free diapers and baby clothes, and find resources to help support their parenting journey – all while their kids were entertained with crafts, storytelling, and more!
Donor mother and her baby at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital & Trauma Center
In the Central Valley, donors gathered in Stockton, Fresno, and Bakersfield. Fresno County Breastfeeding Coalition hosted their 17th annual Breastfeeding Awareness Walk & Celebration with giveaways, activities, music, and more!
In Southern California, Sharp Mary Birch in San Diego, MOMS in Santa Ana, and Eisner Health in Los Angeles welcomed donors with open arms. “There’s something so special about being in a room full of donor moms and their families, each of whom is supporting our mission in their own way,” reflects Lourdes Chicas, hospital outreach specialist at Mothers’ Milk Bank California who attended many of the events throughout the month. “We are so proud to collaborate with so many dedicated hospitals and community partners who share our commitment to supporting breastfeeding and increasing access to donor milk.”
Sharp Mary Birch collected more than 3,900 ounces of donor milk at their annual milk drive
In Nevada, people from all walks of the breastfeeding community joined an outdoor event hosted by the Nevada Breastfeeding Coalition. Las Vegas families joined the 10th annual Milk Depot Drive, hosted by Breastfeeding with Maj during Black Breastfeeding Week.
“The racial disparities in breastfeeding rates and maternal health within the Black community are staggering,” warns Mothers’ Milk Bank CEO Jennifer Benito-Kowalski, who attended the event. “With this year’s special focus for Black Breastfeeding Week being on the role of community support, it was so touching to see the turnout at this inspiring event. More than 2400 ounces of milk were collected!”
Virtual milk drives
All month long, for those who couldn’t attend in person, MMBCA also hosted virtual milk drives with four hospital and community partners across California. Thank you to Solano County WIC, Saint Agnes Medical Center, Delta Health Care, and El Camino Health for your ongoing commitment to supporting our most vulnerable infants.
Why it mattered
These events were about much more than collecting milk. They created spaces for families to connect, celebrate breastfeeding, and learn more about the impact of donor milk. We owe a debt of gratitude to so many partners and passionate advocates who contributed to making this month such a success. Thanks to your generosity, MMBCA is better equipped to meet the growing demand for safe, pasteurized donor milk nationwide.
Thank you to the following hospitals and community partners for your collaboration in August:
Solano County WIC
St. Agnes Hospital
Breastfeeding With Semaj
Community Bridges WIC
Delta Health Care
Eisner Health
El Camino Health
Fresno County Breastfeeding Coalition
Kaiser San Mateo and Redwood Cit
Kern County
MOMS of OC
Nourish Nevada
Northern and Southern Nevada Breastfeeding Coalition
Santa Clara County WIC
Sharp Mary Birch Hospital for Women & Newborns
Solano County WIC
St. Agnes Hospital
Stanford Health Care Tri-Valley
Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital & Trauma Center
MMBCA in the news
- KCBS: SF General Hospital hosts second annual ‘Human Milk Drive’
- KTVU: Breast Milk Donation Drive
- Telemundo: Milk Drive at ZSFG
- Times of San Diego: Breast milk drive comes to San Diego in August
- Mountain View Voice: Milk bank drive
- Stocktonia: Breastmilk donation drive to take place in Stockton
