Northwest Mothers Milk Bank

Mission

Our mission is to improve the health and survival of the Pacific Northwest’s most vulnerable infants.

Bottom Line for Portland

NWMMB has been serving premature and medically complex infants in our community for over a decade. These high-risk babies deserve all the support possible for a healthy outcome, including life-saving donor milk. We believe that parents who can’t breastfeed deserve fair and equitable access to safe, appropriate nutrition for their children. When you donate to NWMMB through Give!Guide, you join our mission to increase access to donor milk for babies who need it to survive and thrive.

Quote

Lizzy’s newborn, Murphy, was rushed to the NICU when he struggled to breathe after birth. Mother and baby were separated to receive care at two different hospitals, and it was during this separation that Lizzy learned her baby's heart hadn't fully developed. He had a blood clot in an artery between his heart and lungs.

During the hardest week of her life, Lizzy was relieved to know that another mom, some nearby stranger right here in the Northwest, shared her extra breastmilk with NWMMB to provide for her son while they both recovered. NWMMB screened and pasteurized the donor milk to be completely safe for her medically complex child.

When the scariest part of their journey was over, with Murphy growing, giggling, and healing at home and Lizzy receiving lactation support, she felt inspired to become a milk donor herself.

Lizzy has this message for other parents in her position: “I decided to donate as a way to heal from some of the trauma around [Murphy’s] birth… I do this because I’ve been there, and I know how devastating it feels. I do this because, even though we haven’t met, I know your child is wonderful, just like you, and they deserve the world and more. I know my kiddo sure does.”

Photo credit: Natalie Woodrum, Here Today Photography

Incentives

We've got extra goodies for one lucky donor on the following Big Give Days:

Donate on November 25th, Big Relaxing Day, and be entered to win a Personal Stylist Appointment + $100 store credit at Garnish Apparel!

Doante on December 10th, Big Cruise Day, and be entered to win a Private Shopping Party + $100 store credit at Garnish Apparel!

Partner(s)

Shoutout to our friends at Portland Diaper Bank, whose mission is to provide no-cost diapering supplies to low-income and houseless families in our community. We proudly host a diaper donation site in our lobby and love watching it fill up with much-needed supplies for this great organization.