Formula shortages stressing out some Minnesota parents
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A steady stream of cars lined up outside of a U-Haul center in downtown Mankato on a cold Sunday afternoon as volunteers handed out infant formula, diapers and baby wipes to waiting parents.
Carter Gilbertson, 24, of Arlington, Minn., drove nearly 40 minutes with a friend. He heard about the distribution event while in town and stopped by to see if there was a specific infant formula for his son thatโs been hard to find on grocery shelves lately.
โOur son is kind of sensitive, so some of the stuff thatโs more readily available can cause him to have rashes and stuff like that on sensitive skin,โ Gilbertson said. โSo itโs nice to be able to get some stuff that you know might be harder to find in the stores.โ
Like many recent product shortages, this one also appears to be tied to pandemic-related supply chain problems. The formula shortages are not widespread, but they can mean multiple trips to stores for parents, said Stacey Tabor, director of Feeding Every Baby. The nonprofit sponsored the Mankato distribution event, which was open to families regardless of income status.
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โThey used to be able to walk into the store and get any formula that they want,โ Tabor said of the clients she has helped lately. โAnd then, after like the second or third try or trying online or running out before itโs shipped to them, weโve seen an influx of people that needed it.โ
Last month, Tabor put out a plea on social media after a spike in demand for donated infant formula and diapers nearly emptied out her storage unit.
โMy greatest fear is that we have people that stockpile and panic buy, and then I actually need [the formula] now to give to people that need it now,โ she said.
While the community responded to her plea with more items and donations of money, Tabor said she is still worried about her ability to help families if the shortages continue. She said she doesnโt have a lot of options if donations donโt keep coming through.
โThe hardest part is saying no,โ she said. โSaying, โIโm sorry, I canโt help you this time,โ or, โI donโt have that.โโโ
Parents in other parts of the state are also struggling to find infant formula. Daniel Hogshead of Roseville, Minn., is foster parent to an infant. He said he often drives to multiple stores to search for formulas that are authorized for reimbursement by the federal Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program.
The search, he said, makes him anxious because itโs so necessary to have formula on hand for feedings.
โYou know, when you go to the grocery store, and itโs just not there, and there doesnโt even seem to be a prospect of it being there,โ Hogshead said. โI asked a manager at Cub Foods. I was like, โDo you know when youโre going to have formula in? Should I come back tomorrow?โ And [the response was] โNo idea.โโ
When he canโt find the formula he needs, Hogshead said he pays for other brands out of pocket. But, that can add hundreds of dollars to his monthly food bill.
โThe brand that we use itโs like $18, and weโre authorized for seven cans in a month,โ he said. โThatโs about $125, $130 a month? So itโs quite expensive.โ
While the shortages are spotty across the state, that doesnโt make it any less stressful for the families who are affected, said Kate Franken, director of the state WIC program.
โWhen itโs your own family and your own infant, it feels like a crisis,โ Franken said. "We are worried about it. Weโre trying to do everything that we can and ensure that that infant, that family gets access to the nutrition that they need."
Franken said families enrolled in the program should contact their local WIC clinics for help in troubleshooting their individual situations.
For other parents who are struggling to find formula or other essential baby supplies, nonprofits like Feeding Every Baby continue to provide what they can.
Ariel Bath of North Mankato, Minn., said sheโs grateful for the help because she doesn't have a close support system. The mother of three daughters all under the age of five recently quit her full-time job to care for her fiancรฉ, who was diagnosed with cancer. She now has a part-time job.
With three daughters, Bath said she goes through a lot of diapers.
โI hate asking for help, I truly do,โ Bath said. โI mean, it feels like a burden on someone, โOh, hey, you know, Iโm needing a pack of diapers,โ or โIโm needing formula for my child.โ Itโs super hard and kind of embarrassing, to be honest with you, to ask for that help. But at the same time, youโre trying to do whatโs best for your child.โ