AdventHealth Gordon officially launched its new Milk Depot with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Tuesday, May 27, expanding access to life-saving donor breast milk for medically fragile infants across Northwest Georgia and the Southeast.
The new Milk Depot, located inside The Baby Place at AdventHealth Gordon, was established through a partnership with Mothers’ Milk Bank Southeast, a nonprofit organization that provides safe, pasteurized donor human milk to vulnerable infants when a mother’s own milk is unavailable or insufficient.
Hospital leaders, community members and representatives from Mothers’ Milk Bank Southeast gathered for the ceremony, which included remarks from AdventHealth Gordon officials and Amy Painter, executive director of Mothers’ Milk Bank Southeast. The event also featured a ceremonial first donation from local community member Holly Wells.
As the organization’s 30th milk collection site, the AdventHealth Gordon Milk Depot will give approved breast milk donors a safe and convenient local drop-off location while helping provide vital nutrition to premature and medically fragile babies throughout the region.
“Human milk plays a critical role in the health and development of vulnerable infants,” said Lauren Everett, Director of The Baby Place at AdventHealth Gordon. “Through this partnership, AdventHealth Gordon is helping improve access to donor milk while supporting mothers, babies and families throughout our region.”
According to health officials, donor human milk has been shown to help reduce serious complications in premature infants, including necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), a potentially life-threatening intestinal disease and one of the leading causes of infant mortality in neonatal intensive care units.
Hospital leaders said the new depot strengthens AdventHealth Gordon’s commitment to compassionate, family-centered care while expanding support services for women, newborns and families across Northwest Georgia.
“At AdventHealth, we are committed to caring for the whole health of every family we serve,” said Justin Birmele, president and CEO of AdventHealth Gordon. “The opening of this Milk Depot reflects our dedication to supporting mothers and babies with compassionate care and resources that can make a meaningful difference during some of life’s most important moments.”
Approved donors will now be able to safely donate excess breast milk locally through The Baby Place at AdventHealth Gordon, helping increase access to donor milk for infants in need throughout the Southeast.
Individuals interested in becoming donors must first complete a free health screening through Mothers’ Milk Bank Southeast. Once approved, donors may call 706-879-4737 to schedule a drop-off appointment at AdventHealth Gordon.
More information about the donor program is available at mymilkbank.org.