Children's Hospital of Richmond opens 'Milk Depot' for donated breast milk

, and Citizen Staff Reports

February 23, 2026 . 10:14 AM

2 min read

Donor Kristina Adams with her family at the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Children's Hospital of Richmond's new Milk Depot. (Courtesy Children's Hospital of Richmond)

Breastfeeding parents in Central Virginia now have a new way to “share the health,” with the opening of The King’s Daughters Milk Depot at Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU. Officials celebrated the grand opening of the new area during a recent ribbon-cutting ceremony.

“The establishment of Virginia’s first milk depot through our partnership with CHoR reflects the strength of nonprofit collaboration and a shared commitment to equitable access to lifesaving donor human milk,” said Ashlynn Baker, director of Milk Bank Services at Children’s Hospital of The King’s Daughters, a nonprofit children’s hospital based in Norfolk.

The depot allows busy families to donate breast milk that can provide lifesaving treatment for the premature and medically fragile babies who need it.

Parents who are pre-screened to donate now can schedule a curbside drop-off appointment at CHoR, pull into the breezeway at the Children’s Pavilion and donate their extra milk to a member of the lactation services team. The CHoR nutrition team then packages and ships donated milk to The King’s Daughters Milk Bank, where it is pasteurized and tested before being distributed to hospitals along the East Coast.

The Chidlren's Hospital of Richmond's Milk Depot team Milk depot celebrates the official opening of the collaboration. (Courtesy Children's Hospital of Richmond)

How human milk impacts premature or sick babies

Each year, preterm birth affects nearly 400,000 babies and the risk of premature or sick babies developing devastating intestinal infections is upwards of 10 times higher if they are fed formula instead of human milk.

Human milk also protects against allergies, contains antibodies to fight disease and provides growth hormones that help babies develop. Baker said that one ounce of donor milk can feed four premature infants, but because not all parents can breastfeed, finding donors is crucial.

“Human milk is powerful,” explained Gauri Gulati, a general pediatrician at CHoR with a specialty in breastfeeding medicine. “It’s more than just nutrition providing protection and immune support. For some families with breastfeeding challenges, donor milk can make a real difference or provide a bridge while supply builds, giving families reassurance and time.”

Parents interested in becoming pre-screened to become a milk donor or scheduling a donation can learn how online.

“By working together, The King’s Daughters Milk Bank at CHKD and CHoR are raising awareness of the critical need for milk donors, removing barriers to donation, and ensuring more vulnerable infants benefit from nonprofit, mission-driven milk donation,” Baker said.