Kentucky Blood Center, The Milk Bank Expand Partnership May 2, 2022

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Kentucky Blood Center is expanding its partnership with The Milk Bank to include two additional drop-off locations for frozen breast milk.

Starting Monday, May 2, KBC’s Somerset and Pikeville donor centers will accept donations of frozen breast milk from approved donors. KBC – the largest independent, full-service, nonprofit blood center in Kentucky – opened four milk depots in October at its two Lexington (Beaumont, Andover) and Louisville (Middletown, Hillview) donor centers.

Donated milk is transported to The Milk Bank – a nonprofit improving health outcome for premature and ill infants – to be pasteurized and distributed to NICUs and outpatient families, primarily in Indiana, Kentucky, and Missouri. Ideal candidates for milk donors are non-smoking women in good general health. 

“Kentucky Blood Center is excited to work with The Milk Bank to expand this important operation in Central and Eastern Kentucky,” said Bill Reed, KBC president, and CEO. “We have seen an incredible number register to donate to this important program in the first seven months of the partnership, and it made sense to make this opportunity available at all of our current donor centers.”

The number of approved milk donors in Kentucky has doubled since KBC opened its initial four drop-off locations in October.

“The partnership between Kentucky Blood Center and The Milk Bank is saving infant lives,” said Freedom Kolb, executive director of The Milk Bank. “We are grateful for this expansion that will allow infants born too small, too sick, or too soon to have their best chance at celebrating the first birthday. We are inspired by all the amazing milk donors accessing these drop-off sites to provide the gift of health and life.”

Approved milk donors can deliver frozen breast milk during normal operating hours at KBC’s six donor centers, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.