The Rosie Fund

Michael, Caleigh and Rosie Hardy, Amy Painter, Christina Foreman and Ashley Jones

Murfreesboro, TN — Mothers’ Milk Bank of Tennessee is honored to announce it has received a $45,000 grant from the Hardy Fund of the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee to support its Compassionate Care Fund, which will now be named the Rosie Fund in honor of Michael and Caleigh Hardy’s daughter, Rosie.

The Rosie Fund will help ensure continued access to safe, pasteurized donor human milk for families who face financial barriers to obtaining this vital nutrition. The fund is especially impactful for families served through Mothers’ Milk Bank of Tennessee’s Outpatient Program, which provides donor milk to infants beyond the hospital setting.

Rosie herself has been a recipient of pasteurized donor human milk through Mothers’ Milk Bank of Tennessee’s Outpatient Program. Her story represents the profound impact donor milk can have on infant health and family well-being.

“Renaming our Compassionate Care Fund as the Rosie Fund is a meaningful tribute to the families we serve and the life-changing role donor human milk can play,” said Amy Painter, Executive Director of Mothers’ Milk Bank of Tennessee.

“We are deeply grateful to Michael and Caleigh Hardy and the Hardy Fund of the Community Foundation for their generosity and for honoring Rosie’s journey in a way that will help countless other babies thrive.”

Pasteurized donor human milk is a critical medical intervention for infants who are premature, medically fragile, or unable to receive sufficient milk from their own mother. Through the Rosie Fund, Mothers’ Milk Bank of Tennessee can continue providing financial assistance to families who otherwise may not be able to afford donor milk during vulnerable moments in their child’s life.

“The Hardy Fund’s support reflects a powerful commitment to improving infant health outcomes in our community,” Painter added. “This gift will have a lasting impact by expanding access to donor milk when families need it most.”