San Jose, CA (September 3, 2025) — As National Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) Awareness Month begins, Mothers’ Milk Bank California (MMBCA)—the longest-operating nonprofit milk bank in the United States—is expanding donor access to meet the growing demand for pasteurized donor human milk in NICUs across California and beyond.
Recognized each September, NICU Awareness Month draws attention to the specialized care provided to premature and medically fragile infants, as well as the dedicated clinical professionals who support them—including nurses, neonatologists, and lactation consultants. In honoring their critical work, MMBCA is also underscoring the growing need for donor human milk as an essential part of neonatal care.
To meet growing demand and improve access for milk donors, MMBCA is relaunching the following high-impact services—back by popular demand:
Milk Pick-Up Now Available: Mothers’ Milk Bank California now offers year-round milk pick-up service for approved donors in Alameda, Santa Clara, and San Mateo counties. Pick-ups are available Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. at no cost to donors.
Weekend Donor Screenings: To better accommodate busy families, Mothers’ Milk Bank California now offers new donor screenings on Saturdays and Sundays from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Pacific Time. Screenings are conducted remotely by phone or virtually via Teams, Google Meet, or Zoom for added convenience.
Expanded Accessibility: Screenings available by phone or video, with professional medical interpretation in over 200 languages through the Language Line.
These services are part of MMBCA’s mission-driven initiative to expand access and meet increasing hospital demand for donor milk. Earlier this year, California Assembly Bill 3059—a landmark policy aimed at expanding equitable access to donor human milk—was enacted, prompting a significant rise in hospital orders and outpatient requests. Since its passage, MMBCA has seen a 30% increase in demand across the state, including NICUs, postpartum units, and outpatient services.
“These updates reduce logistical and language barriers, making milk donation more accessible and inclusive for families,” said Jennifer Benito-Kowalski, CEO of Mothers’ Milk Bank California. “Donor milk plays a vital role in protecting the most vulnerable infants in NICUs across California and beyond.”
Donor human milk plays a vital role in reducing complications like necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), supporting recovery, and improving outcomes for newborns when a parent’s own milk is unavailable or insufficient. MMBCA processes over 2 million ounces of donor milk each year and is actively working to grow its approved donor base to meet the increasing statewide need.
Learn more or start your screening today at MothersMilk.org/Donate
About Mothers’ Milk Bank California
Mothers’ Milk Bank California (MMBCA) is the oldest continuously operating milk bank in the United States and founding member of the Human Milk Banking Association of North America (HMBANA). As a nonprofit organization, MMBCA collects, pasteurizes, and distributes donor human milk to hospitals and outpatient families across California and beyond. Its mission is to ensure safe and equitable access to donor milk so that more babies have the chance to survive and thrive.
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