WHEREAS, World Human Milk Donation Day is celebrated annually on May 19 and was first established in Brazil in 2004 to raise awareness about the critical role of donor-human milk for vulnerable infants; and

WHEREAS, Human-milk banks around the globe, including those in California, play a pivotal role in collecting, processing, and distributing donated breast milk to babies in need, particularly preterm and low-birth-weight infants whose mothers cannot provide sufficient milk; and

WHEREAS, The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends the use of donor-human milk as the best alternative when a mother’s own milk is unavailable, insufficient, or contraindicated, underscoring the vital health benefits that breast milk provides to these infants; and

WHEREAS, The celebration of World Human Milk Donation Day is supported by the global community, and World Human Milk Donation Day’s 2023 slogan, “A small gesture can feed a big dream - donate breast milk!” inspires collective action to ensure that all babies, regardless of their circumstances, have access to the life-saving nutrition of human milk; and

WHEREAS, Donor-human milk has been shown to reduce the risk of life-threatening conditions in premature infants, such as necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), and to improve overall health outcomes, especially in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) across California; and

WHEREAS, California’s nonprofit milk banks, such as Mothers’ Milk Bank California, have been instrumental in promoting human-milk donation, educating the public, and providing safe and pasteurized donor-human milk to hospitals and families throughout the state, ensuring that the most fragile babies receive the nourishment that they need to thrive; and

WHEREAS, The compassionate act of donating breast milk reflects the strength of community support for California’s infants and their families, promoting health equity and helping to address disparities in access to donor-human milk for the most vulnerable populations; and

WHEREAS, The importance of human-milk donation is further highlighted by the rising demand for donor-human milk, as approximately 300,000 babies are admitted to NICUs annually in the United States, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH); and this demand is further driven by potential formula shortages, as well as California hospitals’ efforts to support the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative by 2025, which promotes breastfeeding and the use of donor-human milk as a vital alternative for infants in need; and

WHEREAS, California remains committed to supporting and expanding the efforts of its milk banks, hospitals, health care professionals, and donor mothers in providing donor-human milk to babies in need; and

WHEREAS, Declaring a human-milk donation month will further promote awareness and recognition of the life-saving impact of human-milk donations, encourage more mothers to consider becoming human-milk donors, and celebrate the altruistic contributions of those who make a difference in the lives of countless babies and their families; now, therefore, be it