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Mount Vernon, OH — August is Breastfeeding Awareness Month, and to kick off the annual celebration, the Breastfeeding Network of Knox County will participate in the Big Latch On. This year’s local event will take place on Saturday, August 16th from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. at Mount Vernon Farmer’s Market, located at 6 Public Square in Mount Vernon.
The event is open to all breastfeeding and expecting mothers, past or present, and their children. Friends, family members, and community supporters are also encouraged to attend.
The Big Latch On is a worldwide event where people gather in support of breastfeeding to promote connection, normalize breastfeeding, and raise awareness about its health benefits. Originally started in New Zealand in 2005 and introduced in the U.S. in 2010, the event now includes nearly 60,000 women and children in 28 countries and close to 800 locations. Knox County is proud to celebrate more than a decade of local participation.
“Breastfeeding Awareness Month is a time to celebrate and empower families,” said Cyndie Miller, WIC Director at Knox Public Health. “Events like the Big Latch On not only promote the health benefits of breastfeeding, but they also create a sense of connection and support among moms in our community. It’s an opportunity for us to remind families that they are not alone on their journey.”
As part of its continued commitment to breastfeeding families, Knox Public Health also serves as a local drop site for the OhioHealth Mothers’ Milk Bank. For the past year, the agency’s Women, Infants & Children (WIC) program has maintained a dedicated freezer to store donated human milk, which is then transferred—at no cost to the donor—to the milk bank in Columbus.
The freezer was purchased with support from Women United, a program of United Way of Knox County.
The OhioHealth Mothers’ Milk Bank, operating under the guidelines of the Human Milk Banking Association of North America (HMBANA), provides pasteurized donor milk to infants whose mothers are unable to produce milk. The donated milk is distributed by physician prescription across North America to babies in need.
“The drop site enables us to provide a safe and simple way for nursing mothers to share their milk with medically fragile infants and children,” said Heidi Myers, CLC, CLS, CPST, WIC Breastfeeding Peer, who spearheaded the project at Knox Public Health.
The milk bank, located at the OhioHealth Eastside Health Center in Columbus, relies on donations from healthy, lactating women who want to help families in need.
How to Become a Milk Donor
Healthy, lactating women interested in donating can begin the process by emailing milkbank@ohiohealth.com or calling (614) 566-0630. To ensure safety and quality, donors must:
- Complete a phone interview to verify eligibility
- Fill out a medical and lifestyle history form
- Provide a medical release signed by both the donor and their healthcare provider
- Complete a blood test to screen for HIV, HTLV, Hepatitis B and C, and syphilis
Once approved, local donors can call the Knox County WIC Clinic to schedule a milk drop-off at the freezer site.
Join us in celebrating, supporting, and connecting during Breastfeeding Awareness Month—whether you’re a nursing or expecting mother, a supporter, or someone who believes in the health and strength of Knox County families.
More information about the OhioHealth Mothers’ Milk Bank, including a video, may be found at https://www.ohiohealth.com/locations/womens-health/mothers-milk-bank/
For more information about Breastfeeding and Ohio WIC visit odh.ohio.gov or Knox Health.com. To stay up to date on public health topics follow WIC or Knox Public Health on Facebook, Instagram or X.