Thousands of babies. Thousands of weight checks. Thousands of diaper changes. The past 15 years are chock full of thousands of memories.

Now comes the fun of taking a moment to reflect upon all that has happened since MilkWorks opened our doors in 2001. All of these thousands of babies have moved past learning how to breastfeed and are now taking on other challenges in their life. Britta, who sprouted wings for one of our holiday cards, is now taking ballet lessons and playing basketball and soccer.

MilkWorks is celebrating all of our milestones with a birthday party and a major fundraising campaign to make sure we are here for the thousands of babies yet to come. Join us for a MilkWalk, on June 12th at the Trails Center. Stop by and see all of your old friends and meet some new ones. We promise a low key, but fun afternoon!

Our board of directors has launched our fundraising campaign with their own personal donations to our Best Beginnings fund. They are now asking you to join them. In the spirit of 15 years, we ask that you consider making a donation of $15, $150, $1,500 or even $15,000. You can do this today via our web site, on Give to Lincoln Day (May 26), at our MilkWalk, or any time throughout the year. Our goal is to raise $75,000.

Why $75,000? Over the past couple of years, the Affordable Care Act has implemented breastfeeding support for moms who have private insurance. Unfortunately, Nebraska Medicaid has not followed their lead. This means that in order to provide care to low income mothers and babies, MilkWorks must seek grants and donations. We are running out of funding options and have asked the new Medicaid managed care plans to provide this valuable service. It is an investment of tax payer dollars that has long term rewards and benefits for all of us.

Federal Medicaid has acknowledged the need for breastfeeding coverage, and several states are stepping up to the plate. It is our goal that the new Nebraska managed care plans will do the same. Providing care for all mothers and babies is a vital service at MilkWorks. We need everyone's support. Whether your donation is $15 or $1,500, it will go towards helping mothers breastfeed their babies. We’ll be asking you to rally some work site campaigns. We’ll be seeking some employer sponsorships. The goal is to help us bridge the gap until we have a new funding source for the 300 mothers we see each year who are not covered by private insurance.

Help us welcome the next thousands of babies and weight checks and diapers. It is a great investment in the future of our community……and a wonderful way to make life a bit less stressful for new parents. In the words of a new mom, “Keep doing what you are doing. I felt very supported when I was learning how to breastfeed. I had a lot of struggles to overcome and felt like I was getting all the advice and help I needed at MilkWorks. I couldn’t have done this without your help.”