Community invited to Kick-off Party Feb. 7

Tri-County Health Department Opening Two Mothers' Milk Bank Donation and Outreach Centers

Tri-County Health Department (TCHD) is pleased to open two new Mothers’ Milk Bank Donation and Outreach Centers (DOC) in Aurora and Brighton. Mothers from the community can drop off their milk for mothers and babies in need at these centers.

Mothers’ Milk Bank, a Colorado-based, nonprofit program, has provided life-saving donor human milk to infants throughout the United States for 35 years. Donors are women who produce milk in excess of their own babies’ needs. Potential donors must first be screened by Mothers’ Milk Bank have their blood drawn, at no cost, before being approved. Once approved, mothers are welcome to drop off their milk donations during business hours at either location, Monday through Friday.

TCHD will operate donation stations at two WIC offices in the metro area:

• Aurora South WIC Office, 15192 E. Hampden Ave., Aurora, 80014, 7:30 a.m. – 12 p.m. and 1 – 5 p.m. Walk-ins welcome.
• Brighton WIC Office, 30 S. 20th Ave., Suites F & G, Brighton, 80601, 7:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. Moms wishing to drop off milk at the Brighton location are asked to call 303.659.2335 to schedule a drop off to limit the wait time.

Mothers’ Milk Bank will arrange transport of the milk from TCHD locations to Mothers’ Milk Bank where it will be pasteurized, tested, analyzed, and distributed to babies across the country whose mothers are not able to make enough milk for their needs. Babies who receive the milk may be premature or have severe illnesses and need human milk to thrive. Much of the milk stays in Colorado as every neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) in the state provides donor human milk to fragile infants.

The new Donation Center will launch with a party 3 – 4 p.m., Feb. 7, at TCHD Aurora South WIC Office, 15192 E. Hampden Avenue, Aurora. The community is invited to learn more about this program and enjoy light refreshments.

TCHD WIC offers additional breastfeeding support and resources for qualifying families in the WIC program including free classes, breast pump loans and breastfeeding peer counseling. TCHD also offers support for employers, including Breastfeeding Friendly Workplace Certification. For more information, visit www.tchd.org/breastfeeding or contact Heidi Williams at 720.200.1573.

To learn more about Mothers’ Milk Bank, visit rmchildren.org/mothers-milk-bank or call 303.869.1888.