Big Moves for the Region’s Littlest, Most Vulnerable Neighbors
Strong Since Birth
In 2016, MAMMB opened our doors to ensure that the medically fragile infants of our region would have access to a safe, ethically sourced supply of donor milk if their own mother’s milk was not available.
The organization quickly transformed neonatal care in our region by helping dozens of hospitals transition to using donor milk for the most at-risk babies. As a result, neonatal intensive care units now report shorter hospital stays, higher rates of exclusive maternal breastfeeding at discharge, and most importantly, greatly reduced rates of serious complications that can cause lifelong disability, altered neurodevelopment outcomes, or even death—all through the provision of donor milk.
The Mother of All Nutrition
For fragile babies, human milk is more than just the perfect nutrition; it supports development, protects against illness, and helps to establish a healthy microbiome. As research regarding the use of donor milk grows, so does demand. Hospital use is evolving to include more infants and pediatric medical specialists are prescribing donor milk for more outpatients with serious medical issues.
Still, donor milk access and inequities in care prevail. MAMMB is an active advocate for safety, ethics, and consistent insurance coverage for donor milk.
Introducing the Human Milk Science Institute and Biobank
As a result of MAMMB’s recognition of the importance and potential of human milk research, we established the affiliated non-profit Human Milk Science Institute and Biobank in 2019. Its goal is to eliminate barriers in human milk science by supplying human milk samples and data to facilitate the work of researchers in multiple disciplines.
Community Support Yields Incredible Growth
Our region’s milk bank exists because of dedicated clinicians, passionate staff, invested board members, individual contributors, and the foundation community. Most importantly, our work is only possible through the thousands of volunteer milk donors who step up to help babies, pouring love into every ounce.
In short, our milk bank belongs to all of us.
While the impact and need for the services of MAMMB has exceeded all expectations, there is work to be done. In our first year of operation, we distributed 57,000 ounces of donor milk. Today, we distribute more than 40,000 ounces per month to 80 hospital units and many outpatients, including all of the high level neonatal intensive care units (NICUs)—a sixfold increase from our start. Currently, MAMMB is the primary provider of donor milk in Pennsylvania and West Virginia, and we also support parts of New Jersey, Maryland, and Delaware.
As Impact Grows, So Does Need
Not surprisingly, MAMMB has outgrown its 5,000 square foot lab space. Similar to the trajectories of other non-profit milk banks across the United States, MAMMB needs to move to a larger facility to accommodate our growth. To do so, we are launching the $8 million One to Grow On campaign, which will allow us to relocate into a new facility in 2025 and provide space for MAMMB to process greater volumes. These funds will support additional staff and equipment along with expansion of our depot and dispensary network. A public education campaign will raise awareness among families, clinicians, and insurers. The establishment of endowments will support charitable care programs and an annual fellowship to train the next generation of human milk scientists.
Since its birth, Mid-Atlantic Mothers’ Milk Bank has improved outcomes for the most vulnerable infants in our region. With your support of this comprehensive campaign, we will help even more babies.
One to Grow On
Comprehensive Campaign for Mid-Atlantic Mothers’ Milk Bank
We are grateful to the community coming together to support our work to improve the lives of babies across our region. This comprehensive campaign will enable the Milk Bank to meet the growing demand for pasteurized human milk by:
- Relocating and expanding its facility
- Securing state-of-the-art equipment
- Supporting and developing additional staff
- Increasing awareness among families, clinicians, and insurers
- Establishing endowments to support charitable care and fellowship program to train the next generation of human milk scientists
Comprehensive Campaign Goal: $8 million
Progress, as of 11/26/24
$5 Million
Meet the future home of bright futures
Help us build the permanent home for Mid-Atlantic Mothers’ Milk Bank.
Having outgrown our 5,000 square foot leased space in Pittsburgh’s Strip District, the Mid-Atlantic Mothers’ Milk Bank is looking forward to setting down permanent roots and building out a facility our region needs now and for the future.
- 19,000 square foot facility will serve as home to:
- State-of-the-art Milk Bank lab
- Shipping/Receiving
- Milk Storage
- Staff including screeners, lab technicians and administrators
- The Human Milk Science Institute and Biobank
- Owned by MAMMB, the non-profit will avoid future vulnerabilities associated with leasing
- Total building acquisition costs are generously being funded by the Henry L. Hillman Foundation and The Heinz Endowments
New equipment is needed for MAMMB to process greater volumes.
Give
Thank you for your generous consideration in donating to One to Grow On.
Thank you to our generous donors
Henry L. Hillman Foundation
The Heinz Endowments
Magee-Women’s Research Institute
Jewish Healthcare Foundation
Pennsylvania Department of Health
Highmark Foundation
The Pittsburgh Foundation
PNC Charitable Trust
Many individual donors
Give
Thank you for your generous consideration in donating to One to Grow On.
Levels of Giving
Founders' Circle
$50,000
Life Saving Circle
$25,000
Thriving Circle
$15,000
Benefactor
$10,000
Champion
$5,000
Advocate
$3,000
Supporter
$1,000
Friend
$500
Baby Love
$ ________
All gifts will be recognized in the One to Grow on Campaign report. Gifts of $5,000 and above will also be recognized on a permanent donor board.
Other Ways to Give
One-time gift
I/We commit to a gift in the amount of $.
Pledge
I would like to make a pledge of $, to be paid equally over 1, 2, 3 years.
Matching Gifts
My gift will be matched.
Estate Gift
I would like information about including the Milk Bank in my will/estate planning.
In Memoriam
My gift is in memory/honor.
Support
I would like to support the Milk Bank and campaign in additional ways. Please contact me.
Thank you to our generous donors
Henry L. Hillman Foundation
The Heinz Endowments
Magee-Women’s Research Institute
Jewish Healthcare Foundation
Pennsylvania Department of Health
Highmark Foundation
The Pittsburgh Foundation
PNC Charitable Trust
Many individual donors
Impact
Pasteurized donor milk:
Every ounce makes a world of difference
The mother of all nutrition
When mother’s milk isn’t available, pasteurized donor human milk has been proven to reduce life-threatening complications, shorten hospital stays, and increase the rates of exclusive maternal breastfeeding at discharge.
of moms
with an infant in the NICU are unable to provide enough milk for their child, at least initially
around 1 in 10 babies
are born prematurely in
Pennsylvania
Black babies are
3x more likely
to be born premature compared to their white counterparts
Improves health, reduces health care costs
Premature infants and those with certain medical circumstances are at risk for necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), a life-threatening inflammation of the intestines. Half of the babies who develop this devastating complication require surgery which carries a 40% mortality rate. A human milk diet, using donor milk when needed, can decrease the overall risk of NEC by 80% and the rate of surgical NEC by 90%.
MAMMB serves
80 hospital units
and outpatients experiencing a variety serious medical issues including prematurity, congenital heart disease, immunological deficiencies, gastrointestinal conditions, cancer, and neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome
Get Involved
Have you been touched by the mission of Mid-Atlantic Mothers’ Milk Bank?
- Milk donor
- Donor milk recipient
- NICU parent
- NICU grandparent/family member
- Clinician
- Hospital staff
- Outpatient
Want to learn more about our campaign and how you can help vulnerable babies?
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