A Call for Help - Mother's Milk Bank of Ohio

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Monday, December 04, 2006

As regular Lactivist readers know, milk banking is a cause near and dear to my heart. It's actually what compelled me to start this blog. I've also always donated a portion of profits from sales of the Lactivist shirts to the milk bank. Thanks to Lactivist readers and shoppers that meant that I was able to take down a check for $1000 over the summer. Right now the tally is back up to about $300, but I'm hoping that you can help us make it more.

One of the great things about the HMBANA milk banks is the fact that they are non-profit. They charge ONLY enough money to cover the processing and storage costs for the milk. While insurance often covers the cost of the milk, some insurance companies refuse to pay. In other situations, the parents of the baby simply don't have insurance. Since HMBANA milk banks are committed to providing that milk for any baby that medically needs it, that means that they sometimes send out milk that they will never be reimbursed for. In fact, the average milk bank never receives payment for 15-20% of the milk that they ship. Here in Columbus, that percentage if even higher. Add in the fact that the milk bank is barely two years old (and thus hasn't yet recouped enough costs to pay for all their equipment) and you've got a milk bank that's really struggling to the point that every single dollar of donations REALLY counts.

Thus, any money earned from the sale of ANY product on the Lactivist site between December 1st to December 31st will be going straight to the Mother's Milk Bank of Ohio. I'm hoping that if everyone helps spread the word that we might be able to add to that $300 to come up with another $1000 for the bank. So if you're a nursing mom, ask for a Lactivist shirt for Christmas or Hanukah, or buy one for your husband or your baby. If you KNOW a nursing mom, buy her or her baby a Lactivist shirt for the holidays.

Don't feel like shopping, but want to make a donation? You can send a donation via PayPal by either transferring funds or by placing it on your credit card. Heck, if every Lactivist reader donated a single dollar, we'd make it to that $1000 mark in NO TIME! I'll gather that money together with the sales money and will post a grand total here on the site come January 1st.

Even beyond shopping and donating, you can still help out! If you have a blog, consider running a post talking about this fundraiser and pointing your readers to the store. If you belong to a message board, discussion forum, email list, La Leche League group, MOPS group...or ANYTHING that puts you in touch with other mothers, consider passing the information along.

You've got another week or two to get orders in and to still get your orders delivered by Christmas. (You can also come back and spend your holiday cash on a gift for yourself in the last week of the month.) It's also good to note that CafePress is running some holiday shipping specials right now.

There are nearly twenty new designs or redesigns up on the site, including some ADORABLE new children's products. The Milk Bank needs YOUR help in order to continue providing the valuable service that they provide. Please consider doing what you can to help out.

Labels: Milk Banking and Sharing

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