PRESS RELEASE: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
The Milk Bank Celebrates World Breastfeeding Week with Multi-State Milk Donor Drive
Milk Matters Challenge hopes to connect The Milk Bank with 100 new milk donors in seven days across Indiana, Kentucky, and Missouri
INDIANAPOLIS, July 31, 2026 — As part of World Breastfeeding Week celebrations, The Milk Bank is launching the Milk Matters Challenge. Starting August 1, 2026, The Milk Bank is partnering with advocates, current and retired milk donors, hospitals, partners, and community members to raise awareness about the need for milk donors and access to safe donor milk.
The goal of the virtual challenge is to connect The Milk Bank with 100 new milk donors during the first week of August. Each month, The Milk Bank must welcome at least 169 new milk donors to meet the growing needs of families and hospitals across the region. Last year, The Milk Bank experienced the largest single-year increase in demand for pasteurized donor human milk in its 20-year history, with more than 700,000 ounces provided to babies across Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri, and beyond.
“World Breastfeeding Week is a time when the entire globe unites to highlight the importance of breastfeeding and the benefits of human milk,” said Freedom Kolb, CEO of The Milk Bank. “For fragile infants born too sick, too soon, or too small, milk can be lifesaving. That’s why when a mother’s own milk isn’t available, access to safe donor milk is critical. The only way we can protect the supply is by connecting with mothers who may have excess milk and educating them on how that milk can save the lives of the most vulnerable infants in their community.”
Those interested in joining the challenge and becoming one of the 100 milk donors needed can start the process with The Milk Bank’s quick online interest form. Once approved, milk donors can drop off their donations of frozen breast milk at one of more than 80 community-based Milk Depots or self-ship at no cost to the milk donor. Donated milk is transported to The Milk Bank, where milk is carefully processed, analyzed, pasteurized, and distributed to hospitals and families in need.
About The Milk Bank
The Milk Bank is a non-profit tissue bank dispensing more than 700,000 ounces of pasteurized donor human milk to hospitals and families throughout the region every year. Since its inception in 2005, The Milk Bank has provided more than 17.9 million feedings of safe human milk to infants born too small, too sick, or too soon.
Review The Milk Bank’s press kit and for additional media inquiries, contact Lindsay McGuire, Assistant Director of Advancement – Branding & Outreach, at lmcguire@themilkbank.org or 317-536-1670 ext. 114.
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