Over the past month, we have witnessed the immense power of nature alongside the incredible power of human kindness. As Hurricane Helene tore through North Carolina, leaving massive devastation in its wake, we saw something truly remarkable: people showing up for one another in ways that left us humbled, inspired and wanting to help.
It is in times like these that the words of Mr. Rogers ring true: “When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, ’Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.’” And we certainly did.
After Helene, a friend and former client Jamie, reached out to our founder. Jamie wanted to have some more milk freeze dried so that she could send it over to those impacted by the storm without having to worry about freezing or refrigeration amidst widespread power outages. Kayleigh loved the idea and decided to send some of her own powdered stash, too. The women got talking and realized that their personal milk would only go so far, and knew so many other mothers wanting to help survivors but not knowing exactly how. Mothership decided that we would accept donated milk and freeze dry it at no cost as a way in which to offer some support to those who lost their milk or supply during the storm.
We took to Instagram and announced that we were accepting donor milk to be freeze dried and then distributed to folks in need. The response was remarkable. Lactation consultants put us in touch with their clients to see if they had milk to spare. Mothers across the nation understood the urgency of the situation and gave generously from the stashes that they had worked so hard for to accumulate for their own babies. Former clients who had some freeze-dried milk leftover sent us some of their powdered gold to be distributed. Jamie drove across Florida’s East Coast with a newborn in tow, gathering donations and making new friends along the way. Doulas in North Carolina reached out and offered to ensure that this vital nourishment found its way into the hands of families who needed it most. The post was re-shared 366 times and within a mere 6 hours, our goal was achieved. We decided to double it. And we were at capacity again in another 6 hours.
The compassion and care and willingness to help and strength in numbers were a glimmer of hope during a dark time.
But just as we began freeze drying our first donations for Helene, another hurricane was headed our way less than two weeks later. We got our first donated 200 oz out and battened down the hatches for Milton. Thankfully, our Florida facility sustained minimal damages, but our Floridian neighbors were not all so fortunate. Suddenly, there was a call to allocate some of the donor milk to our home state. We were so grateful for the abundance of shared milk and the capacity to re-route some of it to the Sunshine State in its time of need.
In the face of these back-to-back storms, we’ve seen such a juxtaposition of devastation and beauty. The beauty of people coming together, caring for one another, and showing up in ways that matter. We are so grateful to the mothers, doulas, and countless others who continue to support our mission and help those in need. It’s this spirit of giving that reminds us that even in unthinkable devastation, there is always hope.
Thank you for being part of this journey. Together, we are making a difference.
With gratitude,
Mothership Milk