Skip to the page content
Your donations
Passes our checks

San Jose Mothers Milk Bank

EIN 77-0131926 · San Jose, CA

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthStrong93 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

MOTHERS' MILK BANK CALIFORNIA (MMB) IS A LEADING NONPROFIT DEDICATED TO PROVIDING SCREENED, DONATED HUMAN MILK TO BABIES IN NEED. MMB COLLECTS, PASTEURIZES, AND DISTRIBUTES SAFE HUMAN MILK TO HOSPITALS AND FAMILIES, ENSURING ESSENTIAL NUTRITION FOR INFANTS.

Income
$6.5 million
Spending
$5.7 million
Spent on programs
80%
Reserves
7.8 months of spending
Largest source of income
fees for its services, 92%
Employees
37
Volunteers
12
Highest pay
$261,122, ceo

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Strong: 93 out of 100.

  • Reserves

    28 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 7.8 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 15% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 12% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 19% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    80% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 31 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Strong: 100 out of 100.

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    11 of 11 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Impact evidence

Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.

Programs described in its return (1)
  1. $4.6 million spent. MOTHERS' MILK BANK CALIFORNIA COLLECTS EXCESS BREAST MILK FROM VOLUNTEER BREASTFEEDING MOTHERS, STORES THE BREAST MILK FOR OPTIMAL NUTRITIONAL VALUE, PROCESSES THE BREAST MILK TO REMOVE PATHOGENS THAT MAY CAUSE ILLNESS, AND DISTRIBUTES THE DONOR HUMAN MILK TO HOSPITALS AND FAMILIES. AS A CHARTER MEMBER OF THE HUMAN MILK BANKING ASSOCIATION OF NORTH AMERICA (HMBANA) AND AN ACCREDITED HMBANA MILK BANK, THE ORGANIZATION FOLLOWS RIGOROUS STANDARDS FOR THE SAFE PROCESSING AND DISTRIBUTION OF DONOR HUMAN MILK - STANDARDS THAT SERVE AS THE BASIS OF OPERATION FOR ALL MILK BANKING ORGANIZATIONS. MOTHERS' MILK BANK CALIFORNIA IS ALSO LICENSED AS A TISSUE BANK IN CALIFORNIA AND MARYLAND AND REGISTERED WITH THE FEDERAL FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION (FDA). THE ORGANIZATION HOSTS VIRTUAL AND IN-PERSON MILK AND DONOR DRIVES THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, ENABLING COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO PROMOTE MILK DONATIONS AND PROVIDING DONORS THE CONVENIENCE OF DONATING EITHER FROM HOME OR BY DROPPING OFF THE MILK AT ONE OF OUR CENTERS. WITH 9 MILK COLLECTION CENTERS, THE ORGANIZATION ALSO OFFERS ADDITIONAL SERVICES, INCLUDING BREASTFEEDING SUPPORT AND RESOURCES FOR ALL, WIC SUPPORT, AND HOSPITAL-BASED SERVICES TAILORED TO THE NEEDS OF DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES. IN 2024, MOTHERS' MILK BANK CALIFORNIA CELEBRATED 50 YEARS OF SERVICE, MARKING A SIGNIFICANT MILESTONE IN ITS MISSION TO SUPPORT INFANTS IN NEED. AS PART OF THIS CELEBRATION, THE ORGANIZATION REBRANDED BY ADDING "CALIFORNIA" TO ITS NAME TO HIGHLIGHT BOTH ITS LEGACY AND THE SERVICE AREA ACROSS THE STATE. THE ORGANIZATION ALSO EXPANDED ITS MARKETING, COMMUNICATIONS, AND PUBLIC RELATIONS EFFORTS, BOOSTING AWARENESS OF THE MILK BANK'S WORK. ADDITIONALLY, THE ORGANIZATION'S EXISTING SERVICES SUPPORT FAMILIES ACROSS CALIFORNIA AND THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES, ENSURING THAT BABIES IN NEED OF DONOR HUMAN MILK HAVE ACCESS TO IT NO MATTER WHERE THEY LIVE. MOTHERS' MILK BANK CALIFORNIA FOCUSED ON INCREASING ITS PROCESSING AND PASTEURIZING CAPACITY TO MEET THE GROWING DEMAND FOR DONOR HUMAN MILK. THE ORGANIZATION WORKED WITH 1,686 APPROVED DONORS AND 140 HOSPITALS, DISTRIBUTING NEARLY 1.34 MILLION OUNCES OF PASTEURIZED DONOR HUMAN MILK (PDHM). THIS INCLUDED APPROXIMATELY 826,000 OUNCES FOR INPATIENT USE AND ABOUT 521,000 OUNCES FOR OUTPATIENT USE. ON AVERAGE, THE ORGANIZATION DISPENSED 112,000 OUNCES OF PDHM EACH MONTH TO MEET BOTH INPATIENT AND OUTPATIENT NEEDS. THIS COLLABORATIVE EFFORT REFLECTS THE ORGANIZATION'S STRONG COMMITMENT TO SUPPORTING INFANTS IN NEED AND SHOWCASES THE COMMUNITY'S DEDICATION TO MAKING A LASTING IMPACT.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Legitimacy checks

  1. Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.

    Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  2. Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.

    Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.

    Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  3. Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.

    On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.

    Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending June 2025.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since December 1988.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  6. Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.

    Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.

    Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 21, 2026.

Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.