Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and Mother’s Milk Bank Collect Nearly a Thousand Ounces of Human Milk During Third Annual Donation Drive

San Francisco, CA - During National Breastfeeding Awareness Month, Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital (ZSFG), San Francisco’s third Baby-Friendly certified safety net hospital and only Level 1 Trauma Center, hosted the third annual Human Milk Drive on Wednesday, August 26, 2026 in partnership with Mothers’ Milk Bank.

This year, thanks to the outstanding generosity of our community, donors came together to share the invaluable gift of human milk. While the final count is still underway, the Milk Drive has already received nearly 1,000 ounces – equivalent to about 2,000 tablespoons. Each contribution plays an essential role in supporting the health and well-being of infants and families, and we are deeply grateful to everyone who participated.

Donor human milk provides optimal nutrition to our most fragile patients such as babies who are ill or preterm, separated from their birth parent, or have immunological deficiencies. For babies who need additional human milk, donor human milk provides the best possible chance at healthy growth and development from the beginning.

“This milk drive helps ensure equal access to the vital nutrition that supports a healthy start for every child, including those who cannot receive milk from their birthing parents. It reflects DPH’s commitment to advance health equity and foster a truly baby‑friendly environment for all families at ZSFG and throughout San Francisco. My deep gratitude goes to all the donors whose generosity strengthens our mission to protect and promote the health of every San Franciscan and families everywhere.”- Daniel Tsai, Director of Health, San Francisco Department of Public Health (SFDPH).  

“Every ounce of donated human milk represents an act of compassion – one that can make a meaningful different for a baby and family in need. As a safety-net hospital, we are proud to host the 3rd Annual Milk Drive and are committed to helping to ensure more babies have access to the nourishment they need for a healthy start, regardless of their family’s circumstances. It reflects who we are as a hospital – a community that leads with compassion, advances health equity, and cares for every person with dignity. Everyone ounce counts. Every baby deserves a healthy start. – Dr. Susan Ehrlich, ZSFG Chief Executive Officer

“As a proud Baby-Friendly hospital, we are committed to giving babies and families in our community the best possible start. Our nurses here at ZSFG see every day how the right support at the right time can make a lasting difference. Through our annual Human Milk Drive, our care extends that commitment beyond our walls – helping more babies get the strong, healthy start they deserve.” – Gillian Otway, ZSFG Chief Nursing Officer.

More information about the third annual Human Milk Drive is available on the ZSFG website.

ZSFG NICU champions breast/chest feeding as essential to infant health and parent-infant bonding—offering exceptional clinical care while advancing Health Equity for all families, no matter their situation. With exclusive breast/chestfeeding rates far above the state average, our culturally responsive programs support families facing housing insecurity, trauma, and systemic barriers.

At ZSFG, our lactation support team consists of two full-time lactation consultant nurses, who are both registered nurses and International Board-Certified Lactation Consultants (IBCLCs). All Labor & Delivery, NICU, Pediatrics, and Postpartum RNs have completed a 20-hour “breastfeeding basics” course and have the essential skills to support a chestfeeding couplet. Several ZSFG nurses are also certified as IBCLCs. All medical residents and Certified Nurse Midwives are required to complete basic lactation training as part of their role.

ZSFG is proud of its Baby-Friendly designation, first achieved in 2007, which demonstrates our commitment to providing the best possible support for breast/chest feeding. ZSFG goes through an extensive recertification process every five years, which includes staff training and quality improvement projects, and the unit was just recertified in 2024. All of this work ensures that we give babies a healthy start in life.

To kick off National Breastfeeding Awareness month, on August 4, SFDPH’s Maternal, Child, and Adolescent Health (MCAH) Women, Infant, and Children (WIC) program, in partnership with the SF Breastfeeding Coalition, hosted a celebratory rally and walk. San Francisco City & County WIC were awarded the USDA Premiere Breastfeeding Award of Excellence for our Breastfeeding Peer Counseling Program! This national recognition honors programs that lead the way in supporting breastfeeding parents and uplifting healthy families. This joyful, family-friendly event highlighted the importance of breastfeeding/chestfeeding, uplifted parents and families, and promoted services that give every baby a healthy start. 

About Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center

Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center (ZSFG), one component of the San Francisco Health Network (SFHN), is a licensed general acute care hospital, which is owned and operated by the City and County of San Francisco, Department of Public Health. ZSFG provides a full complement of inpatient, outpatient, emergency, skilled nursing, diagnostic, mental health and rehabilitation services for adults and children. It is the largest acute inpatient hospital for psychiatric patients in the city. Additionally, it is the only acute hospital in San Francisco that provides 24-hour psychiatric emergency services and the only Level 1 trauma center in San Francisco. ZSFG aims to provide patients with a better experience, a healthier community and a more efficient health care system, providing patients with timely, efficient, high quality, safe and effective care. We are also one of the nation’s top academic medical centers, partnering with the University of California San Francisco School of Medicine, Dentistry, Nursing and Pharmacy on clinical training and research. ZSFG serves more than 100,000 patients per year and provides more than 20 percent of all inpatient care for San Francisco. We serve a diverse patient population providing services in more than 20 languages to our ethnically and racially diverse community.

About the San Francisco Department of Public Health

The mission of the San Francisco Department of Public Health (SFDPH) is to protect and promote the health of all San Franciscans. SFDPH achieves its mission through the work of three main divisions – the San Francisco Health Network, Population Health Division and Behavioral Health Division. The San Francisco Health Network is a community of top-rated clinics, hospitals and programs that serves more than 125,000 people annually at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital, Laguna Honda Hospital, and ambulatory care clinics across the city. The Population Health Division monitors diseases, promotes health, protects consumers, and monitors and responds to public health threats. The Behavioral Health Services Division provides mental health and substance use prevention, early intervention, and treatment services. DPH programs represent and celebrate the city’s diversity, serving individuals and families of all backgrounds and identities, regardless of immigration or insurance status. The Health Commission is the Department’s governing body and provides oversight and policy direction. Visit us at sf.gov/publichealth.

About Mothers’ Milk Bank

Mothers’ Milk Bank is the oldest operating nonprofit milk bank in North America. They have helped set the industry standard for milk collection and donation. As a charter member of the Human Milk Banking Association of North America (HMBANA), Mothers’ Milk Bank has helped set the industry standard for milk collection and donation. We remain committed to our legacy, and adhere to the highest levels of care, safety, and equity for those we serve: donors, recipients, families grieving the loss of a baby, hospitals, community partners, and healthcare professionals. Mothers’ Milk Bank serves babies, families, and healthcare providers across the United States. Though most of our recipients are premature infants in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs), we provide safe, pasteurized human donor milk for families in need.