OhioHealth Mothers’ Milk Bank Opens New Milk Drop at Mount Carmel Grove City Hospital

The OhioHealth Mothers’ Milk Bank celebrated the grand opening of a new milk drop location at Mount Carmel Grove City, on April 29, 2025. The new milk drop site, located at 5300 N Meadows Dr., Grove City, OH 43123 will house a freezer to store donated human milk, which will then be transferred to the milk bank in Whitehall at no cost to the donor.

The OhioHealth Mothers’ Milk Bank, under the guidelines of the Human Milk Banking Association of North America (HMBANA), provides pasteurized human milk to those infants whose mothers are unable to provide milk to nourish their babies. It is one of just 33 milk banks in North America – 30 in the United States and three in Canada. 

“We are thrilled to be opening this new milk drop to make donating even easier,” said Chris Smith, RN, BA, IBCLC, OhioHealth Mothers’ Milk Bank clinical nurse.  “With this new milk drop, approved donors around central Ohio have another convenient location to drop off their donated milk. Pasteurized donor milk is liquid gold for babies who need it. In 2024, we distributed 469,036 ounces of milk in 11 states – that’s 3,664 gallons! Just one ounce can feed a premature infant for three days, so every little bit helps.”

The Mount Carmel Grove City site marks the 34th OhioHealth milk drop location in Ohio. The donated milk is distributed throughout North America to babies in need.

"It is an honor to open the first Grove City OhioHealth milk drop location at Mount Carmel Grove City," said Sherri Strong, MSN, RN-NEA-BC, C-OB, C-EFM, Regional Director of Nursing Operations, Women & Infants, Mount Carmel Grove City. “This collaboration with OhioHealth allows us to help expand access for moms in our community.”

The milk bank, which is located in the OhioHealth Eastside Health Center in Columbus, relies on donations from healthy, lactating women who generously provide milk to help other babies. Interested donors are encouraged to email milkbank@ohiohealth.com or call (614) 566.0630 to arrange a screening phone interview. To become a human milk donor, mothers must take part in a screening process to ensure the quality and safety of the milk.  This process includes a phone screening to verify eligibility, completion of a medical and lifestyle history review, a signed medical release from the donor and physician, and consent to receive a blood test to screen for HIV, HTLV, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, and syphilis.  The donated milk is pasteurized, frozen, and distributed by physician's prescription.

Benefits of Breast Milk

Infants benefit greatly from human milk, especially those who are premature, ill, or have life-threatening conditions. Human milk is the ultimate source of nutrients and immune protection for infants. Babies benefit from the active growth hormones, developmental enzymes, and infection fighting and immunological factors found in human milk.

Research shows that human milk helps pre-term infants:

●        Reach full feeds sooner and need fewer IVs

●        Mature their intestines faster

●        Spend fewer days in the hospital

●        Reduce risk of necrotizing enterocolitis (a potentially fatal bowel infection)

●        Reduce risk of sepsis (blood infection) and other infections

●        Experience long-term IQ advantages over formula-fed infants

●        Be healthier as older children and adults

For more information about the OhioHealth Mothers’ Milk Bank, click here.