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Lancaster forms partnership to distribute baby formula

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CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – JANUARY 13: Baby formula is offered for sale at a grocery store on January 13, 2022 in Chicago, Illinois. Baby formula has been is short supply in many stores around the country for several months. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)

The City of Lancaster, in partnership with Baby2Baby and LA County, is giving away baby formula to Lancaster families facing the current nationwide formula shortage.

Baby2Baby is a national LA-based nonprofit that provides essential items to children living in poverty. Partnered, LA County and Lancaster purchased $100,000 worth of formula to distribute to Lancaster residents.

Baby2Baby works with wholesale partners to have formula made to order at as low as a third of the retail price, enabling Lancaster to get the most out of the investment and help the greatest number of families.

“It is our priority to ensure the citizens of Lancaster have access to basic necessities, that includes baby formula. We understand that the current formula shortage is upsetting for many families across the country, including right here in Lancaster,” said Mayor R. Rex Parris. “By working together with LA County and nonprofits like Baby2Baby, we can help provide families in need with formula as well as some peace of mind.”

“The formula shortage is an absolute emergency for families living in poverty, and we are using every resource at our disposal to urgently get it to the families we serve,” shared Baby2Baby Co-CEOs Kelly Sawyer Patricof and Norah Weinstein. “We are so grateful to the City of Lancaster for supporting our relief efforts and partnering with us to provide lifesaving formula to babies in need.”

Lancaster residents interested in participating in the giveaways can find more information by following the City’s social media platforms and on the City’s website at www.cityoflancasterca.gov. Giveaways are anticipated to begin at the end of June.

The current baby formula shortage is a nationwide crisis, with approximately 40 percent of formula being reported out of stock in states across the country. The shortage stems from the shutdown of a major formula production facility in Michigan and supply chain issues related to the pandemic, and it is also affected by aspects of U.S. regulatory and trade policies.

The Federal Drug Administration is working to help ensure that infant formula products remain available for use in the U.S., and the agency continues to advise against making infant formulas at home.

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