ATLANTA — A ton of baby formula has arrived in the United States from Germany to help with the shortage.
As the federal government is preparing to ship it around the country, some metro families said it will be months before they see any relief.
Channel 2′s Ashli Lincoln went to find out just how long it would take before baby formula is fully stocked on store shelves.
Families say they don’t know what to do. But one mom, Morganne Harper, has stepped in to help those in need to get formula for their children.
Harper has created a voluntary job for herself to help hundreds of desperate Georgia mothers.
“I am constantly on my phone because it’s constant, mothers are needing formula,” said Harper.
Earlier this month, she posted a photo on Instagram holding her two-month-old son while standing next to empty shelves where baby formula would have been stocked.
She was also holding a sign that said “feed my son.”
“We have got to advocate,” said Harper. “Not everybody has access to the formula they need.”
Her post went viral, and from there she created a logistics system that connects mothers across Georgia to baby formula.
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“I’ve been connecting this mamma from Newnan, Georgia, to this mom from Cleveland, Georgia,” said Harper.
Once she heard the news about baby formula arriving in the U.S., she said it was bittersweet.
“I think it’s a temporary fix, and I think it’s a start, that this formula is on planes and it’s on the way to our children and it’s only over a million bottles,” said Harper.
The Biden Administration announced this first shipment is a very specialized formula for babies with hypo-allergenic conditions.
Pediatrician Dr. Jessica Daigle said convenience and medical factors are the two main reasons why so many families depend on formula.
“I’ve seen where families have begun to rely more on formula,” said Dr. Daigle.
The shipment is providing just enough formula for 9,000 babies and 18,000 toddlers for one week.
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In February, Abbott Laboratories, the U.S.’s main supplier for formula manufacturing, shut down production due to contamination problems.
“I didn’t even realize how much of a hold on the formula market that Abbott has,” said Dr. Daigle.
Last week, the federal government announced its deal with Abbott to restart production. However, there is no word on how soon the site will be up and running.
Harper is concerned and says it makes her job even more important.
“It can be two months before we can get our shelves filled,” said Harper. “How would you feel if you went two months without food?”
The shipment will not be sent to local stores. Right now, the first shipment is a specialized formula for infants and toddlers with sensitive medical needs. Therefore, it will only be shipped to doctor’s officers and hospitals in critical areas of need.
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