Ascension St. Vincent Carmel Opens First-Ever Combined Milk Depot and Milk Express in Hamilton County in Partnership with The Milk Bank
New initiative expands access to donor breast milk, supports infant health and health equity
Carmel, Ind. — Ascension St. Vincent Carmel is proud to announce the grand opening of its Milk Express and Milk Depot in partnership with The Milk Bank—becoming the first hospital in Hamilton County to house both programs under one roof. This milestone further strengthens Ascension St. Vincent’s commitment to maternal and infant health, providing life-sustaining nutrition to newborns while supporting equitable access for families in need.
“Breast milk provides powerful health benefits for infants, especially for those in the NICU,” said Julie Schnieders, MSN, CNP, Vice President of the Women’s and Pediatric Service Lines at Ascension St. Vincent. “By becoming a Milk Depot and Milk Express site, we’re advancing our mission to give every baby the healthiest possible start.”
As both a Milk Depot and a Milk Express site, Ascension St. Vincent Carmel will serve as a collection point for approved donors of The Milk Bank to make donations of frozen breast milk and a distribution hub where parents and caregivers—both within the hospital and across the community—can purchase Pasteurized Donor Human Milk (PDHM).
All donated milk is transported to The Milk Bank—a nonprofit milk bank improving health outcomes for premature and ill infants—where it is processed, analyzed, pasteurized, and distributed to NICUs and Milk Express sites across the state. This dual role not only enhances local access for parents and caregivers but also ensures a more robust donor milk supply to meet critical neonatal needs across Central Indiana.
Ascension St. Vincent Carmel’s Level III NICU is specially equipped to care for newborns with moderate to complex medical needs. While distinct from the Level IV NICU at Ascension St. Vincent Women and Infants Hospital in Indianapolis—the largest user of PDHM in the state—the Carmel location plays a vital role in supporting medically fragile infants and strengthening the broader network of neonatal services.
The Indianapolis hospital established its first Milk Depot in 2023, setting the foundation for continued expansion across the health system and paving the way for innovative partnerships like the new Milk Express and Milk Depot in Carmel.
Since the opening of the Ascension St. Vincent Carmel location in May, nearly 200 ounces of donor breast milk has been donated, providing close to 600 feedings for infants. As a whole, Ascension St. Vincent has assisted in the donation of more than 43,000 ounces of milk which has provided an estimated 130,000 feedings since its first Milk Depot opened in 2023.
“Having both a Milk Depot and Milk Express site in one location is an incredible way to support infants and families in our community,” said Freedom Kolb, CEO of The Milk Bank. “This collaboration with Ascension St. Vincent Carmel helps us serve more babies and support families at every step of their journey.”
About Ascension St. Vincent
Ascension St. Vincent operates 19 hospitals in addition to a comprehensive network of affiliated joint ventures, medical practices and clinics serving Indiana, and employs more than 13,000 associates. In Fiscal Year 2024, Ascension St. Vincent provided more than $357 million in community benefit and care of persons living in poverty throughout the state. Ascension St. Vincent is part of Ascension, one of the nation’s leading non-profit and Catholic health systems, with a Mission of delivering compassionate, personalized care to all with special attention to persons living in poverty and those most vulnerable. In Fiscal Year 2023, Ascension provided $2.2 billion in care of persons living in poverty and other community benefit programs. Ascension includes approximately 134,000 associates, 35,000 affiliated providers and 140 hospitals, serving communities in 18 states and the District of Columbia. Visit www.ascension.org.
About The Milk Bank
The Milk Bank is a non-profit tissue bank dispensing more than 600,000 ounces of pasteurized donor human milk to hospitals and families throughout the region every year. Since its inception in 2005, The Milk Bank has provided more than 15.6 million feedings of safe human milk to those who are often born too small, too sick, or too soon. The Milk Bank improves health outcomes for premature and ill infants, fosters better health for children, and decreases health care expenditures. The Milk Bank follows the strictest safety standards informed by the CDC and FDA and is a proud member of the Human Milk Banking Association of North America (HMBANA). Visit https://www.themilkbank.org/ to learn more.
