Mother’s milk depot reopens to serve area newborns

The Springfield-Greene County Health Department, along with the Greater Ozarks Regional Breastfeeding Coalition and Indianapolis, Indiana-based The Milk Bank, have reopened the Greater Ozarks Regional Mother’s Milk Depot at 1720 W. Grand St., according to a news release.

The Greater Ozarks Regional Mother’s Milk Depot will serve as a drop-off site for The Milk Bank’s approved donors. Breast milk collected locally will be shipped to The Milk Bank’s lab for processing, according to the release. Donations will be dispensed to hospitals and families with the intent to provide nutrition for premature or sick infants.

“The Milk Bank has already been working with our hospitals locally to provide breast milk for babies who need it,” said Tawana Frazier, nutritionist and lactation consultant with Springfield-Greene County Women, Infants and Children office, in the release. “Reopening the Greater Ozarks Regional Mother’s Milk Depot as a donation site allows us to fully support the needs of our community, and we are grateful for The Milk Bank’s partnership.”

The Mother’s Milk Depot previously worked with St. Luke’s in Kansas City’s nonprofit milk bank until it closed in January 2022, according to the release. Over 100,000 ounces of milk were collected over nine years accepting donations in the Ozarks previously.

"The Milk Bank has been serving fragile Missouri infants since 2006, and we look forward to deepening our impact,” said Mary Timmel, Missouri-based regional advancement coordinator for The Milk Bank, in the release.

Individuals can apply to be a breast milk donor or recipient through The Milk Bank.