Non-profit ready to help with formula shortage

Indianapolis, Indiana — Supplies of baby formula have dwindled from store shelves for the past several months.

It’s a combination of supply chain problems and a recall in February of three brands of powdered formula. “It’s certainly scary for a lot of families. We’re hearing the desperation in their voice when they’re calling,” Jenna Streit, Advancement Director at The Milk Bank, said.

The Milk Bank is a non-profit that provides donated milk which can be life-saving for mothers who can’t breastfeed and whose infants are experiencing health issues. Donated milk is a valuable substitute for formula. “For babies who have some kind of medical condition or a formula intolerance, or maybe they’ve been on a specialty formula due to an illness, they don’t have a lot of options right now,” Streit said.

The Milk Bank has to set aside a portion of its supplies for babies born prematurely as a member of the Human Milk Banking Association of North America.

As it could be dangerous for an infant, Streit is urging moms not to dilute baby formula or even make their own formula if they can’t find any on store shelves. Instead, she is asking moms who need milk to contact The Milk Bank. “To receive donor milk, there is a processing fee associated with it. It’s $4.50 an ounce. We recognize that can be a burden for families, but there is a lot of work that goes into ensuring the safety of milk,” Streit said.

Some moms can get financial support through The Milk Bank’s medical relief fund. “We can offer up to 40 ounces without a prescription. If you need milk for a longer amount of time, we will work with your doctor to get the prescription,” Streit said.

The Milk Bank is looking for donors. It takes about a week to get approved. Donors will need to provide some of their health histories to The Milk Bank to be eligible.