At Mothers’ Milk Bank of North Texas (MMBNT), we get a lot of questions about what we charge for donor milk. The quick and simple answer is: MMBNT does not charge for the donor milk itself, only for the expenses of processing the milk. Here’s why:
We have a very special mission. MMBNT is a non-profit organization with a mission of improving the health and survival of premature and critically ill infants. We rely on the generosity of milk donors who provide MMBNT with the surplus breastmilk their own babies don’t need. MMBNT does not pay or compensate milk donors. We pass along part of the expenses of making sure donor milk is safe. Non-profit milk banks such as MMBNT adhere to the strict scientific safety guidelines of the Human Milk Banking Association of North America (HMBANA). In addition, MMBNT follows the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) regulations related to the processing, handling and storage of food.
Tissue processing can be costly. Milk is logged into a sophisticated bar code system that is compatible with hospital technology. It is stored in monitored freezers before entering the lab for standardized and careful pasteurization. Milk is packaged in special bottles with tamper resistant caps and is tested for bacteria before it is dispensed. MMBNT charges hospitals and outpatients a portion of these processing costs to support operations. Individual and corporate monetary donations are vitally important. Fees charged by MMBNT only cover 60% of the milk bank’s operational costs. Remaining funds are raised through fundraising events, individual donations, grants and community support. A lot of effort is put into fundraising at MMBNT. The generous gifts received from funders and financial donors help keep costs to hospitals and families as low as possible.
Charitable care is a priority. Babies are prioritized based on their medical condition, NOT their ability to pay. A fragile baby going home from the hospital on donor milk will receive it, regardless of the family’s financial capability. In 2014 alone, Mothers’ Milk Bank of North Texas provided over $400,000 of donor human milk to fragile babies at home with families that had no means of paying processing fees. For more information about Mothers' Milk Bank of North Texas or about how to become a milk donor, visit our website.