Milk Depot: Share the health
Your extra milk is medicine
The King’s Daughters Milk Depot at Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU
Opening February 20, 2026
1 out of 10 babies is born prematurely and can greatly benefit from pasteurized donor human milk.
While it is widely known that breast milk contains nutrients that are crucial for infant development, it can also be a lifesaving treatment for premature or medically fragile babies. Breast milk contains antibodies to fight disease, protect against allergies, and even reduce the risk of developing potentially life-threatening intestinal infections. But not everyone who gives birth is able to breastfeed, which is why the need for donor milk is critical.
You can become a milk donor in 3 easy steps
- Call 757- 668- MILK (6455) to schedule a short phone interview.
- Complete an online questionnaire.
- Have your blood drawn at a local lab, at no cost to you.
Convenient drop-off location
We schedule convenient milk drop-off times at our Children’s Pavilion for local, approved donors. The milk depot is located in the Children’s Pavilion breezeway for easy, curbside drop off.
If you’re donating from outside the area, The King’s Daughters Milk Bank at Children’s Hospital of The King’s Daughters (CHKD) will arrange for overnight shipping at no cost to you.
Drop-off location:
Children’s Parking Deck – breezeway entrance to the Children’s Pavilion
341 N. 10th Street
Richmond, VA 23219
After scheduling your drop off, pull into the Children’s Parking Deck drop-off area and we’ll meet you curbside to receive your lifesaving milk donation.
Note: You must be screened and approved by The King’s Daughters Milk Bank at CHKD and schedule a drop-off prior to arriving to The Milk Depot at CHoR.
Do I qualify to be a milk donor?
To undergo the donor screening process, breastfeeding parents must:
- Be in good general health.
- Be willing to undergo blood testing at the milk bank’s expense.
- Take only approved medications and supplements.
- Have a milk supply in excess of your baby’s needs. (Bereaved or surrogate parents are also eligible to donate.)
How does donating my milk help others?
- Each year, preterm birth affects nearly 500,000 babies.
- The risk of premature or sick babies developing devastating intestinal infections is 10x higher if they are fed formula instead of human milk.
- Human milk protects against allergies, contains antibodies to fight disease, and provides growth hormones that help babies develop.
- Pasteurized donor human milk is easily digested, and it provides infection-fighting benefits and optimal nutrition in the absence of mother’s own milk.
- One ounce of donor milk can feed four premature infants.
Does CHoR offer pasteurized human donor milk for their patients?
Yes! At CHoR we recognize the breastfeeding journey isn’t always linear. Our baby friendly journey and partnership with The King’s Daughters Milk Bank at CHKD helps ensure we can offer families the benefits of pasteurized donor human milk in our:
As of 2025, babies at CHoR had received more than 110,000 ounces of pasteurized donor human milk since first partnering with The King’s Daughters Milk Bank at CHKD in 2017.
Learn more about The King’s Daughters Milk Bank at CHKD
Milk you donate through The Milk Depot at CHoR will go to The King’s Daughters Milk Bank at CHKD to provide lifesaving benefits to severely premature and critically ill infants locally and nationwide.
- Phone: 757-668-MILK (6455)
- Email: KDmilkbank@chkd.org