Every baby benefits from a healthy start.
The Healthy Start Fund provides financial support so families who can’t afford donor human milk can still access it during a critical time in their baby’s life.
Thanks to the generosity of our community of donors, we’ve launched a $25,000 Healthy Start Fund dedicated to covering the cost of donor milk for families experiencing financial hardship. Donor milk associated with this fund will be available while funds remain, and as the program continues to grow.
What is the Healthy Start Fund?
The Healthy Start Fund exists to expand access to the nourishment they need during critical moments of growth and recovery. It supports access to safe, pasteurized donor human milk when an infant’s health or development depends on it.
The fund helps provide donor human milk for:
- Babies with a medical or nutritional need for donor human milk
- Newborns recovering from illness, prematurity, or a NICU stay
- Infants who need short-term donor milk while a parent establishes or increases their own milk supply
- Babies whose families need additional support to ensure uninterrupted access to human milk
Milk provided through the Healthy Start Fund will be distributed based on medical need, available supply, and fund capacity.
How it Works
- Families apply online to request donor human milk support through the Healthy Start Fund.
- Our team reviews the request based on the baby’s medical needs, available supply, and program capacity at the time of application.
- Approved families receive donor human milk through the Healthy Start Fund.
- Donor milk is provided while Healthy Start Fund resources remain available.
How to Apply
Eligibility Requirements
To be considered for support through the Healthy Start Fund, families must:
- Provide a prescription or doctor’s note for donor human milk from their infant’s healthcare provider
- Complete and submit the online application
Once your application is received, our team will review it and may contact you if additional information is needed.
What Support Typically Looks Like
Most approved families receive short-term donor milk assistance, generally up to 40 ounces per week for 1–2 weeks, depending on:
- Medical need
- Available donor milk supply
- Healthy Start Fund availability
Apply for Support
If your baby needs donor human milk and you would like to be considered for assistance, please begin by submitting an online application.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I purchase donor milk on my own and then be reimbursed through the Healthy Start Fund?
No. The Healthy Start Fund does not provide reimbursement for donor milk that has already been purchased.
If a family is able to pay privately for donor milk, they would not be eligible for support through the Healthy Start Fund. This allows the fund to prioritize families who need financial assistance at the time donor milk is prescribed or recommended. We encourage families to apply to the Healthy Start Fund before placing an order so we can determine eligibility and support access when it’s needed most.
What is the income threshold to be eligible for the Healthy Start Program?
The Healthy Start Program does not use a specific income number or require tax returns. Eligibility is typically verified through participation in established assistance programs such as WIC, Medi-Cal, or SNAP/EBT, which already have defined income requirements. These programs help confirm financial need while keeping the application process simple and respectful. When alternative documentation is required, eligibility is determined based on the total household income, meaning the combined income of all working adults living in the household.
What if I don’t have a WIC, Medi-Cal, or SNAP/EBT card?
If a family is not currently enrolled in WIC, Medi-Cal, or SNAP/EBT, they may submit recent pay stubs as alternative documentation.
Pay stubs are reviewed to confirm that household income falls within WIC, Medi-Cal, or SNAP income guidelines. This option ensures families who meet financial eligibility—but are not yet enrolled in assistance programs—are still able to apply for support.
Why doesn’t the program reimburse families after purchase?
The Healthy Start Fund is designed to remove financial barriers before they prevent access to medically indicated donor milk. Limiting the program to pre-purchase support ensures the fund is used equitably and reaches families who would otherwise be unable to obtain donor milk.
Do I need to pick up donor milk, or can it be delivered?
We strongly encourage in-person pickup whenever possible, especially for families who live locally. Choosing pickup helps preserve Healthy Start Fund resources so we can support more families across California who need donor milk.
If a family is unable to pick up donor milk, FedEx delivery may be arranged within California when medically or logistically necessary. Please note that shipping costs reduce the Healthy Start Fund resources available to support other families in need, which is why pickup is encouraged whenever possible.
📍 Please note: The Healthy Start Fund is currently available to California families only.
Our goal is to ensure donor milk reaches babies who need it most—while responsibly stewarding shared resources to support as many families as possible.
If you have more questions or need help with the application, please contact us at info@MothersMilk.org. Due to the high volume of inquiries, responses may take a little time. Thank you for your patience.
Ways to Stay Connected
If you’d like to stay connected, you may choose to:
- Share your story
- Explore ways to support the Healthy Start Fund
- Follow us on social media
A Fund Made Possible by Generous Donors
This initiative exists because of you—our community of donors and supporters who believe every baby deserves a healthy start.
We are especially grateful to the Summit League for their leadership contribution, which helped make the Healthy Start Fund possible. Their generosity, together with support from additional donors, brought the fund to its $25,000 launch goal.
To everyone who contributed: thank you. Your support is directly putting life-sustaining nutrition into the hands of families who otherwise may have gone without.
As demand continues to grow, sustained philanthropic support is essential to ensure no family is turned away due to cost.
Help Sustain the Healthy Start Fund
Once the initial $25,000 is used, continued access depends on replenishing and expanding the Healthy Start Fund. You can help:
- Make a monetary gift to expand the Healthy Start Fund
- Sponsor a baby’s first weeks of donor milk
- Dedicate a gift in honor or memory of a loved one