<After I needed to back off, they looked into buying
donated milk from a milk bank.  What they found out really bothered
me....first of all, we could not find ANY milk banks near us in Michigan.
Secondly, they did find a bank somewhere that wanted $2.50/ounce for the milk
(!!!)  Thirdly, they couldn't leave their home often because it would be
delivered via FedEx and they couldn't tell them when the truck might arrive.>

I would like to clarify tht milk from a Human Milk Bank is not sold. There is a processing fee to try and recoup some of the expenses of screening, and testing of the donors, paying for coolers and milk containers, and shipping of the coolers to the donor and the milk from the donors to the bank and then processing, storage, testing and shipping of the milk.
Milk can be shipped to Michigan from some of the Milk Banks. Some Banks I believe do not ship out of state because it is vey expensive.
There are some third party reinbursement for the milk from private insurance, Medicaid and at one time WIC.
No recipients are denied milk due to ability to pay. Some families make payments, some have asked for assistance from family members, some have applied for grants and some communities have held fundraisers. Some family make donations to the Milk Bank even after they are no longer receiving milk.
The milk is shipped usually once a week. FedEx delivers approximately at the same time so the family only has to meet the FedEx truck once a week. If the family cannot be home for the delivey, the delivery can be made to their worksite or a neighbor or family member can arrange to receive the milk.
I'm sorry your sister in law had a bad experience but Milk Bank staffs try extremely hard to balance everyone's needs. I have seen the director of the Milk Bank here pack milk herself after everyone has left and then rush to the airport on Friday evening because a baby desperately needed milk. Milk Banks operate under a great deal of pressure to be cost efficient and manage with the Wisdom of Solomon a sometimes limited supply with a growing number of requests.

Barbara Whitehead, IBCLC

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