The Human Milk Banking Association of America (HMBANA) proudly announces the launch of the Equitable Donor Milk Access Blueprint, aimed at promoting equitable access to donor milk. This work was made possible by a generous grant from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation (WKKF). Developed in collaboration with a diverse task force of clinicians, academic researchers, birth workers, and grassroots organizers, the purpose of this tool is to reduce barriers to the distribution, increase the accessibility of donor milk, and ensure every infant in need can receive the vital benefits of human milk.
The Blueprint addresses the pressing issue of inequitable access to donor milk, which can have a profound impact on the health and well-being of vulnerable infants and their families. By providing evidence-based strategies and solutions, the Blueprint encourages healthcare providers, policymakers, and funders to implement sustainable and inclusive practices to support equitable access to donor milk.
Highlights include:
- A detailed explanation of health equity, its application to donor milk banking, and best practices related to evaluation and recommendations for member milk banks.
- An overview of the current work of the internal HMBANA health equity committee.
- A report on the state of the science, detailing research findings from America’s Essential Hospitals (AEH), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), recent academic scholarship, and cultural considerations identified by task force members.
- A comprehensive list of research opportunities.
- Specific calls to action, categorized by audience: milk banks, legislators and tribal governments, healthcare institutions, and funders.
Access the blueprint here.
"I am proud to introduce this Blueprint, a tangible reflection of our commitment to enhancing equitable access to donor milk. Developed in harmony with diverse expert voices and rooted in real-world understanding, this Blueprint addresses and provides actionable solutions for the pressing issue of inequitable milk access. Together, with our dedicated member milk banks and through strategic partnerships and informed practices, we move closer towards a future where all infants have equal access to the nourishment they rightfully deserve." - Lindsay Groff, Executive Director for HMBANA
About the Human Milk Banking Association of North America (HMBANA)
Mission: HMBANA advances the field of nonprofit milk banking through member accreditation, development of evidence-based best practices, and advocacy of breastfeeding and human lactation to ensure an ethically sourced and equitably distributed supply of donor human milk.
Vision: HMBANA believes in a world where all infants have access to human milk through the support of breastfeeding and the use of pasteurized donor human milk.
About the W.K. Kellogg Foundation (WKKF)
The W.K. Kellogg Foundation (WKKF), founded in 1930 as an independent, private foundation by breakfast cereal innovator and entrepreneur Will Keith Kellogg, is among the largest philanthropic foundations in the United States. Guided by the belief that all children should have an equal opportunity to thrive, WKKF works with communities to create conditions for vulnerable children, so they can realize their full potential in school, work, and life.
The Kellogg Foundation is based in Battle Creek, Michigan, and works throughout the United States and internationally, as well as with sovereign tribes. Special attention is paid to priority places where there are high concentrations of poverty and where children face significant barriers to success. WKKF priority places in the U.S. are in Michigan, Mississippi, New Mexico, and New Orleans; and internationally, they are in Mexico and Haiti. For more information, visit www.wkkf.org.
CONTACTS: For media inquiries, contact Lindsay Groff at info@hmbana.org or (817) 810-9984
