Our Mission
Northwest Mothers Milk Bank is a nonprofit donor milk bank established in 2008. Our mission is to improve the health and survival of the Pacific Northwest’s most vulnerable infants. We believe that every baby deserves access to human milk. We carry out our mission through the safe collection and distribution of human donor milk, education, advocacy, and research.
We are a nonprofit organization rooted in the Pacific Northwest community.
Our Mission
To improve the health and survival
of the Pacific Northwest’s
most vulnerable infants.
Our Vision
A Northwest region where every baby has access to the human milk they need.
Our Values
BE COMPASSIONATE
We take the perspectives and situations of others to heart. We desire to know and act on that knowledge with positive intent and a desire to help. Empathy in action guides our work inside and outside Northwest Mothers Milk Bank.
HONOR DIVERSITY
We acknowledge and embrace the unique contributions and perspectives of all within our workplace, and in our community. We recognize and reject all bias against age, ability, disability, education, ethnicity, gender, identity, national origin, race, religion, sexual orientation, or socioeconomic status. We promote the use of respectful and inclusive language.
COLLABORATE
We continually work to expand relationships with the healthcare systems, community partners and HMBANA Milk Banks to improve the health and survival of vulnerable infants. We share resources. We ask for what we need.
INNOVATE
We draw on collaborative and evidence-based efforts to advance human milk banking processes and systems to achieve optimum safety and quality.
The work of anti-racism is ongoing and continually evolving. We strive for an inclusive, diverse and equitable organization that fosters a sense of belonging. We consult community experts to help us assess and strategize our equity work and commit to on-going training for all staff.
ENGAGE IN ANTI-RACISM
We demonstrate integrity by building honesty into our everyday routines. We act with integrity by holding ourselves accountable, accepting responsibility, and facing the consequences of our actions.
ACT WITH INTEGRITY
We advocate for human milk feeding for all infants. We educate and empower individuals, families, hospital staff, and the community to make informed choices about infant health. We are committed to increasing access to pasteurized donor milk for vulnerable infants when mother’s/parent’s own milk is not available.
PROMOTE HEALTH
Northwest Mothers Milk Bank is rooted in community. NWMMB was founded in 2008 by a group of passionate and accomplished community members who worked hard to increase public knowledge and acceptance of donor milk use. The nine-member volunteer board followed a strategic plan that included fundraising, community outreach, and hospital partnerships to successfully open the first human milk bank in the Pacific Northwest in July of 2013. By following the accreditation standards of the Human Milk Banking Association of North America, NWMMB became the 12th nonprofit human milk bank in North America.
NWMMB has experienced unprecedented community support and rapid growth since opening our doors in 2013. To learn more about our journey, click on the photos below.
