Spokane, WA & San Jose, CA — More medically fragile infants could get the lifesaving help they need because of a new donor milk collection site launching tomorrow in Spokane. Mothers’ Milk Bank California (MMBCA), in partnership with Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center & Children’s Hospital, announces the opening of a new human milk collection center at the renowned facility. This initiative expands a long-standing partnership between the two organizations and marks a major step forward in increasing access to donor milk across the Pacific Northwest, as well as throughout the country.
“As a Level IV neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), we care for some of the most fragile newborns, and for years, our tiniest and sickest patients have relied on Mothers’ Milk Bank California for lifesaving donor milk,” says Catherine Lindsey, NICU Dietitian at Providence Sacred Heart. “Many of our NICU moms express a desire to give back by donating their surplus milk. By becoming a collection site, we’re removing barriers for these generous families—transforming their desire to give into real, lifesaving action. It’s a meaningful way for them to turn a difficult chapter into hope for other families in need.”
Located on the hospital’s 9th floor, the new collection site offers an easy and secure drop-off point for approved milk donors, while also providing vital lactation support and resources to NICU families and the local community. Milk collected in Spokane will be safely shipped to Mothers’ Milk Bank California for processing and distributed to hospitals and families nationwide.
Since 1980, the World Health Organization has recommended that infants be exclusively breastfed for the first six months of life because it provides nutrients a baby needs, as well as important antibodies to protect them from illness during this critical growth period. But when a parent is unable to breastfeed – whether due to a mother’s health, adoption or other impediments - donor milk helps improve the child’s health outcomes, giving the little one the best possible start in life. Equitable access to breast milk, which impacts an infant’s entire health trajectory, is one of the most cost-effective ways to improve overall public health.
“We’re thrilled to grow our partnership with Providence Sacred Heart to positively impact more lives. Every ounce donated helps ensure more babies have access to the nutrition they need to survive and thrive,” said Jennifer Benito-Kowalski, CEO of MMBCA.
The opening of the Spokane center comes at a time when demand for donor milk is seeing a 30-percent surge in 2025. This is driven in part by California’s Assembly Bill 3059, which mandates insurance coverage for medically necessary donor milk, and a growing national focus on equitable neonatal care. Providence Sacred Heart is now playing a dual role—using donor milk in its Level IV NICU and helping collect it locally.
To learn more or become a milk donor, visit MothersMilk.org/Providence. For b-roll, images, or to request standard interviews with donors or recipient families, please visit the Media Resources tab on our website.
Media Contact: Nannette Miranda | News@MothersMilk.org | (510) 646-1201
