South Bend milk depot opens to public

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Community Wellness Partners partnered with the organization, The Milk Bank, to provide breastmilk to mothers and babies who need it.

This is the 32nd milk depot in the state, and the second in St. Joseph County. 

The other milk depot is at Memorial Hospital. 

Kelli Brien, the Maternal Child Health Coordinator, says this is greatly needed.

"Our infant mortality rate is so high. African American babies are dying almost three times more than any other baby," she says. "And we know one of the indicators of infant mortality, is lack of breast feeding."

A milk depot is a place for mothers to come donate their breast milk, right in their community. 

Brien says it could save babies lives and give the next generation a better chance.

The milk depot does provide some safety nets to make sure the milk is okay.

"The milk depot does a thorough screening with a blood test and a verbal questionnaire. We're making sure it's healthy for each and every baby," she says. 

The Community Wellness Partners building is along Lincolnway West. 

The building has a room to donate breast milk and will connect people who are in need of the milk, to other resources.