Ascension St. Vincent Carmel announced the opening of its new Milk Express and Milk Depot in partnership with The Milk Bank.
This initiative makes Ascension St. Vincent Carmel the first hospital in Hamilton County to host both programs under one roof, reflecting the hospital’s commitment to maternal and infant health. The programs aim to provide life-sustaining nutrition to newborns while promoting equitable access to care for families in need.
“Breast milk provides powerful health benefits for infants, especially for those in the NICU,” said Julie Schnieder, vice president of the Women’s and Pediatric Service Lines at Ascension St. Vincent. “By becoming a Milk Depot and Milk Express site, we’re advancing our mission to give every baby the healthiest possible start.”
As a Milk Depot, Ascension St. Vincent Carmel will serve as a collection site for approved donors of frozen breast milk. These donations are sent to The Milk Bank, where they are processed, analyzed, pasteurized and distributed to hospitals and families. Additionally, as a Milk Express site, the hospital will function as a hub for parents and caregivers to purchase Pasteurized Donor Human Milk (PDHM).
This dual role supports both local families and the broader community by ensuring a robust donor milk supply for neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) and other Milk Express sites across Central Indiana. Donor milk is vital for premature or medically fragile infants, particularly those unable to tolerate formula.
Since opening in May, Ascension St. Vincent Carmel has collected nearly 200 ounces of donor breast milk, providing approximately 600 feedings. Across its network, Ascension St. Vincent has facilitated the donation of more than 43,000 ounces of milk since establishing its first Milk Depot in 2023. This has supported an estimated 130,000 feedings for infants in need.
This initiative is bolstered by a CDC Health Disparities Grant, which addresses health equity concerns related to infant mortality. The grant will help expand access to PDHM, ensuring families whose infants require supplementation due to medical necessity can receive the care they need.
“Having both a Milk Depot and Milk Express site in one location is an incredible way to support infants and families in our community,” said Freedom Kolb, CEO of The Milk Bank. “This partnership with Ascension St. Vincent Carmel helps us serve more babies and support families at every step of their journey.”
For more information, visit ascension.org or themilkbank.org.
This reporting is made possible by a grant from the Indianapolis African-American Quality of Life Initiative, empowering our community with essential health insights. https://iaaqli.org/
Contact Health & Environmental Reporter Hanna Rauworth at 317-762-7854 or follow her on Instagram at @hanna.rauworth.
Hanna Rauworth is the Health & Environmental Reporter for the Indianapolis Recorder Newspaper, where she covers topics at the intersection of public health, environmental issues, and community impact. With a commitment to storytelling that informs and empowers, she strives to highlight the challenges and solutions shaping the well-being of Indianapolis residents.
