'I have to do something': Moms take grassroots approach to get formula to families in need
SARASOTA, Fla. - The FDA is promising improvement "within days" for families struggling to find baby formula, with plans to have it flown in from other countries, and with the impending reopening of the Abbott formula plant. That's not soon enough for some moms who are taking it upon themselves to connect families who have extra formula with those who need it.
"A lot of mothers are struggling out there, so it's pretty hard to see that," said Bradenton mother Alicia Gonzalez.
After facing bare shelves elsewhere, the sight of formula cans stacked at Mothers Helping Mothers brings relief to weary parents. The Sarasota non-profit has been doing exactly as its name suggests for 32 years.
We're sort of like a thrift shop where no money is exchanged," said Martha Brookley, the MHM equipment manager. "We have children's items, we have shoes, we have clothing, we have adult clothing, maternity, diapers."
RELATED: Improvement coming 'within days' for parents searching for baby formula
With the formula shortage, their volunteers have gone into mama bear mode, foraging what they can, and soliciting donations on social media for client families from Venice to Ruskin.
"When I came in last Friday after the shopping time, this shelf had about four cans of formula on it," Brookley said. "I said, ‘hey, guys, I need formula. If you have formula, bring it in.’ Luckily, we have been able to fill all the needs so far."
Though it's been years since Keiko Zoll's 9-year-old son needed formula, she decided she had to do something. She took her marketing and communication skills and built a website FreeFormulaExchange.com.
"It's simply connecting people who need formula with people who have formula to donate," Zoll said.
On the website form, people share their contact information, the specific formula they need or have, and the site matches them. It's 100% free.
PREVIOUS: Baby formula vs. breast milk: Doctors explain what parents should do amid formula shortage
"If you're donating, you can specify if you intend to ship it to somebody across the country or if you want to arrange a local pickup in a public location," Zoll said.
In less than a week, they got over 10,000 requests and about a thousand donors from all 50 states. Zoll lives in Boston, but her mom is from Plant City, and she has family in Polk County.
"There's a lot of woulda, coulda, should, and I'm kind of like, well, what are we doing right now?" Zoll said. "Let's just let's just get it done."
In Tampa Bay and beyond, these moms are doing whatever it takes to keep bottles full.
If you need help or can help stock their shelves, you can connect with Mothers Helping Mothers on Facebook.
As for FreeFormulaExchange.com, they're now working to add filters such as who has formula closest to you, who's willing to ship, and who can deliver in-person. Zoll plans to keep the site going even when the shortage is solved to ensure no babies have to go unfed.