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Causes: Blood Banks, Health
Mission: Our mission is to provide donor milk to hospitalized critically ill babies in oklahoma and surrounding states to improve long-term health care outcomes in an era of high infant mortality. Oklahoma has one of the highest rates of preterm births in the nation, with one in seven babies born premature (~14%). The use of human milk, in lieu of other nutritional methods, greatly increases the survivability and development of these babies. Additional goals include educating mothers and the medical community about the superiority of mothers milk over alternative forms of nutrition for infants and young children.
Programs: Established a board of directors, acquired 501c3 status and tax exempt status from irs and ok tax commission. Acquired grant funding in 2012. Partnered with ok blood institute: leased space in their building, received financial and inkind donations from them. Hired clinical director in 2013, began operationalizing the milk bank (screening donor mothers, purchasing equipment) hmbana assessment scheduled for july 31, 2013. Recruited several hospitals in oklahoma with nicus that are ready to order donor milk for their patients