Mom donates breast milk to Hurricane Harvey relief efforts

As Houston continues to recover from Hurricane Harvey, advocates are making sure families displaced by the storm have all the necessities.

One woman in Missouri realized that for many women in Houston, that included breast milk. Danielle Palmer donated 1,000 ounces of her own breast milk to families dealing with the aftermath of Harvey.

Palmer's own son Truett for a month was fed through an IV because of a congenital heart defect and didn't need the milk. Palmer kept it in the freezer.

“I know there are mothers who want to feed their babies breast milk who can’t. And it’s better than ruining or tossing [the milk] out. So at least Truett and I can share some love in that aspect," Palmer told WUSA9.

Her son's speech therapist first floated the idea and brought the milk to Houston along with Palmer's midwife.

The donations are especially meaningful for moms who lost breast pumps in the flooding or who are having trouble producing breast milk in the aftermath of the traumatic event.

Palmer might be the only one to send a significant supply of her own breast milk to Houston, but plenty of others are thinking about moms and newborns affected by the hurricane and flooding.

The nonprofit Guiding Star Missouri brought Palmer's donation to Houston. The Texas Diaper Bank has also been collecting breast pumps and other products needed by parents.

As you're planning your donations, keep under-publicized needs like these in mind. It's another way to help.