About Us

“Hānai Waiū” refers to the innate action of an infant to receive nourishment to grow and thrive. Hānai Waiū Milk Bank will be a donation, testing, pasteurizing and supply center for breastmilk from across our Hawaiian Islands. Our home base will be located on the island of O‘ahu with satellite sites/services in Maui County, Kaua‘i and Hawai‘i Island. We are a nonprofit and strive to be an Organization by the people, and for the people, of Hawai‘i.

Our Mission

To promote breastfeeding while also increasing the availability of safe expressed breastmilk for babies who need it most—both in our communities and/or while hospitalized.

Our Vision

To support families in their quest for optimal nutrition and health, ultimately helping more infants to grow and thrive into the future.

Why do we need a Milk Bank in Hawaiʻi?

  • Natural disasters can cut off the supply chain from the Continental US

  • Infant formula recalls

Lifeline during shortages

  • Often times formula is not tolerated by infants born prematurely and/or with medical conditions

Serve medically fragile infants

Support families when a Mother is unable to produce breastmilk

  • Early return to work

  • Low supply

  • Unexpected complication(s) during childbirth

  • Breast or other cancers

  • Adoption

  • Maternal death

  • Rigorous screening of breastmilk

  • Pasteurization of breastmilk (to provide a safe alternative to informal milk sharing)

Safety & Processing

  • Mothers with an oversupply of breastmilk can help those in need

  • Currently breastmilk donations go to California or Texas, which discourages Hawai‘i-based donations in general.

Community Involvement

  • Currently pasteurized donor breastmilk used here in the Islands comes from California or Texas. We want to contribute to being self-sufficient here in the middle of the Pacific Ocean!

Keep it local!