Lake County Health Department joins network of milk depots throughout Illinois

WAUKEGAN – The Lake County Health Department and Community Health Center is celebrating its partnership with Mothers’ Milk Bank of the Western Great Lakes.

The health department joins a network of milk depots throughout Illinois and Wisconsin providing a place people can donate breastmilk to support babies and families in need.

The milk depot is located at Belvidere Medical Building, 2400 Belvidere Road, Waukegan.

As a milk depot, the health department will store and collect milk donations from healthy, lactating parents who are screened and approved as donors through Milk Bank WGL. The donations are picked up by Milk Bank WGL and then are combined and pasteurized to eliminate viruses and bacteria. After pasteurization, the milk is tested again for safety and then distributed to hospitals and outpatients. Donor milk can be used when the lactating parent has a low milk supply, is ill or using certain medications or in cases of adoption or surrogacy.

A grand opening event celebrating the partnership was held Aug. 3 at Belvidere Medical Building.

“We are especially grateful for the Lake County mothers who will support other families through the milk depot,” said Julie Krohn, nutrition services coordinator. “Good nutrition, including that gained from breastmilk, helps babies grow strong and healthy.”

In addition to serving as a donor milk advocate, the health department’s Women, Infants & Children program provides nutrition education, health care referrals, breastfeeding support and an EBT card to purchase nutritious supplemental foods at no cost to eligible Lake County residents. In doing so, WIC prevents more serious medical problems caused by poor nutrition.

“The Milk Bank WGL team is so excited to welcome the Lake County Health Department to our milk depot family,” said Susan Urbanski, program manager at Milk Bank WGL. “The availability of this service highlights the importance of human milk and showcases the supportive environment at the Lake County Health Department. Within days of adding the new drop-off location to the website, approved donors sprang into action and started filling the freezer with precious, lifesaving donations!”

Those interested in donating breastmilk to vulnerable infants go through a screening process with Milk Bank WGL and once they have a donor number, they can call health department’s milk depot to schedule a donation drop-off.

For more information, visit the Mothers’ Milk Bank of the Western Great Lakes website at milkbankwgl.org.