Senator Dave Cortese and Mothers’ Milk Bank California Announce Senate Resolution 20 Designating May as First-Ever California Human Milk Donation Month

April 28, 2025 at 09:07 AM EDT

--News Direct--

Senator Dave Cortese (District 15) and Mothers’ Milk Bank California announce State Resolution 20 to mark the official designation of May as the first-ever California Human Milk Donation Month to underscore the critical role of donor human milk in improving infant health outcomes and highlight the urgent need for increased access to this life-saving resource. A May 1 Senate floor session in Sacramento will announce this landmark resolution authored by Senators Dave Cortese and Senator Aisha Wahab with co-authors Senators Alvarado-Gil, Ashby, Blakespear, Caballero, Gonzalez, Hurtado, Limón, Pérez, Rubio, and Umberg.

The designation of May as the first-ever California Human Milk Donation Month coincides with the release of The State of Human Milk Banking in California: a comprehensive report that provides critical insights into milk donation trends and statistics, the growing demand for pasteurized donor human milk (PDHM), and the evolving landscape of infant nutrition in California. With a growing demand for donor milk across the state, this call for additional donors will help meet the growing need for donor breast milk and expand access to human milk’s life-saving benefits for every premature and medically fragile infant that needs it.

"Demand for pasteurized donor human milk (PDHM) has increased worldwide, for both medically fragile infants in the NICU and those that still need support after a NICU discharge. Mothers Milk Bank California distributes PDHM to 60% of NICUs in California and elsewhere and has seen a 30% increase in demand for PDHM in the last year. Designating May as the first-ever California Human Milk Donation Month is designed to raise awareness about the life-saving power of donor human milk," said Jennifer Benito-Kowalski, CEO of Mothers’ Milk Bank California. "Every ounce can save a baby’s life. Only 2% of eligible donors in California are donating breast milk and 1 in 11 babies is born preterm and may need this resource. Let’s help ensure everyone knows how to donate this liquid gold.”

“All infants should have access to the benefits of breast milk, one of the most cost-effective ways to improve overall public health. The unique properties of breast milk make it incredibly powerful in preventing the onset of serious diseases like Necrotizing Enterocolitis (NEC) which can be deadly to preterm babies," said Senator Dave Cortese. "Donor recruitment is critical. In California, up to 99% of very preterm or very low birthweight babies use PDHM in the NICU. Yet the current donor pool meets under 75% of the increased demand,” said Senator Dave Cortese of District 15.

Preterm or premature infants are the priority population in need of donor human milk. There are many reasons that an infant’s mother’s milk may be unavailable, including absence of the birth mother, the mother having certain diseases that can be transmitted to the baby, the mother requiring medications that may make breastfeeding unsafe, premature birth requiring hospitalization of the infant in the NICU, and lactation difficulties.

Prospective donors undergo medical screening to determine their eligibility and health status. Once approved, their donated milk is pasteurized to eliminate pathogens while preserving its nutritional value, and then sent to public health for testing, The pasteurized milk is distributed to hospitals and individuals in a safe and regulated manner.

UC Health Milk Bank, AANHPI Lactation Collaborative, California Breastfeeding Coalition, California WIC Association, Community Bridges WIC, Denise Chapel Nutritional Services, Human Milk Connection, Nourishing Justly, Pretty Mama Breastfeeding LLC, Raíces y Cariño, Sacramento Breastfeeding Coalition, Santa Cruz County Breastfeeding Coalition, Solano County Breastfeeding Coalition and Watsonville Hospital will join the public awareness campaign to shine a light on how human milk saves lives.

For images and B-roll, visit MothersMilk.org/CAMilkDonationMonth. Livestream the legislative session in Sacramento here: https://www.senate.ca.gov/calendar

About Mothers’ Milk Bank California

The oldest operating nonprofit milk bank in the U.S, Mothers’ Milk Bank California is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing lifesaving donor human milk to medically fragile infants. As one of the nation’s longest-operating milk banks, we ensure equitable access to safe, pasteurized donor milk for hospitals and families in need.

About Senator Cortese

Senator Dave Cortese was elected in November of 2020 to represent State Senate District 15 which encompasses much of Santa Clara County in the heart of Silicon Valley. Along with his accomplished career as an attorney and business owner, the Senator previously served on the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors for over a decade, with four years as Board President, on the San Jose City Council for eight years, including two years as Vice Mayor, and as a trustee for the East Side Union High School District for eight years.

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Founded 50 years ago, Mothers' Milk Bank California is a leading nonprofit dedicated to providing screened, donated human milk to babies in need. As a founding member of the Human Milk Banking Association of North America (HMBANA), it helped set standards for nonprofit milk banks across North America. The organization collects, pasteurizes, and distributes safe human milk to hospitals and families, ensuring essential nutrition for infants. Committed to improving lives, Mother's Milk Bank California supports families and advances neonatal care.