AdventHealth Gordon has opened a new Milk Depot in Calhoun to help expand access to donor breast milk for premature and medically fragile infants across Northwest Georgia.

The new Milk Depot, located inside The Baby Place at AdventHealth Gordon, officially launched with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Tuesday, May 27. The hospital is partnering with Mothers’ Milk Bank Southeast, a nonprofit organization that provides safe, pasteurized donor human milk to vulnerable babies when a mother’s own milk is unavailable or not enough.

The AdventHealth Gordon location becomes the organization’s 30th milk collection site. Approved donors will now have a safe and convenient local drop-off location for excess breast milk, which can then be used to help infants in need throughout the Southeast.

Lauren Everett, Director of The Baby Place at AdventHealth Gordon, said human milk plays a critical role in the health and development of vulnerable infants. Hospital leaders say donor milk can help reduce serious complications in premature babies, including necrotizing enterocolitis, a dangerous intestinal condition and a leading cause of infant mortality in neonatal intensive care units.

AdventHealth Gordon President and CEO Justin Birmele said the new Milk Depot reflects the hospital’s commitment to supporting mothers, babies, and families through compassionate, whole-person care.

Anyone interested in becoming a donor must first complete a free health screening through Mothers’ Milk Bank Southeast. Approved donors may call 706-879-4737 to schedule a drop-off at The Baby Place at AdventHealth Gordon. More information is available at mymilkbank.org.