CareSource Supports OhioHealth Mothers’ Milk Bank

The health plan sponsored 1,000 ounces of donor milk amid formula shortage.

(Dayton, OH – June 2, 2022) – CareSource, a nationally recognized nonprofit health plan, announced today a $4,500 donation to OhioHealth Mothers' Milk Bank to sponsor 1,000 ounces of human milk. The gift is part of CareSource’s larger effort to increase access to adequate infant nutrition while the country is experiencing an unprecedented shortage of infant formula.

“CareSource recognizes the importance of safe, affordable and accessible nutrition for infants and members,” said Donna Gabbard, MSN, RN, MHA, CCM, director of women and children’s health at CareSource. “This gift will increase access to all the vital benefits donor milk provides and support parents and caregivers during the shortage.”

The milk bank, which is located in the OhioHealth Eastside Health Center in Columbus, relies on donations from healthy, lactating women. The organization collects raw milk donated by women at 16 sites throughout the state and pasteurizes it before distribution.

““The OhioHealth Mothers’ Milk Bank is grateful to receive this donation from CareSource to help more Ohio families during this formula shortage,” said Chris Smith, RN, BA, IBCLC, outreach and operations coordinator at OhioHealth Mothers' Milk Bank. “This generous donation will allow us to serve even more babies.”

"The OhioHealth Mothers’ Milk Bank has been extremely grateful to all the mothers who have volunteered to supply additional donor milk to help meet the increasing demands for infant nutrition caused by the recent formula shortage. The additional cost of processing and preparing more donor milk has been met by the staff of the Milk Bank working extra hours and also with the financial support of OhioHealth.,” Craig W. Anderson M.D, medical director at OhioHealth Mothers' Milk Bank. “We are also grateful to those organizations like CareSource who have provided the Milk Bank with grant monies to help provide additional donor milk for those families and babies in need during this crisis."

If it’s advised to try donor milk, families can call the OhioHealth Mothers’ Milk Bank at 614-566-0630 to get the process started.

About OhioHealth

Based in Columbus, Ohio, OhioHealth is a nationally recognized, not-for-profit, charitable, healthcare outreach of the United Methodist Church.

Serving its communities since 1891, it is a family of 35,000 associates, physicians and volunteers, and a network of 12 hospitals, 200+ ambulatory sites, hospice, home-health, medical equipment and other health services spanning a 47-county area. It has been recognized by FORTUNE as one of the “100 Best Companies to Work For” 14 times since 2007.

OhioHealth hospitals include OhioHealth Riverside Methodist Hospital, OhioHealth Grant Medical Center, OhioHealth Doctors Hospital, OhioHealth Grady Memorial Hospital, OhioHealth Dublin Methodist Hospital, OhioHealth Hardin Memorial Hospital, OhioHealth Marion General Hospital, OhioHealth O’Bleness Hospital, OhioHealth Mansfield Hospital, OhioHealth Shelby Hospital, OhioHealth Grove City Methodist Hospital and OhioHealth Berger Hospital. For more information, please visit our website at www.ohiohealth.com.