CHARLOTTE, N.C. — StarMed Healthcare announced plans to give away 600 more cans of baby formula as families still scramble to find ways to feed their babies.
StarMed said it had over 600 units of free formula to giveaway on May 26 starting at 10 a.m at its Central Avenue and Tuckaseegee Road locations.
No registration was required but supplies were limited. Their first distribution event took place on May 16. StarMed said its shipment arrived early, so they were hoping to distribute even more formula than they intended.
Some parents said the distribution was a good opportunity to get a backup can just in case, but others said they're out of options after finding nothing in stores.
"I've been to a few different stores now," one mother said. "He drinks a certain kind of milk since his stomach's sensitive, and they've been out of it everywhere. I've had my mom, she lives in a different town, I've had her look for some."
Another woman said she's not worried about right now, but where things will be in a few weeks.
"I know she won't go without," she said. "What's going through my mind is I'm going to be covered for another month, but after that, where are we going to be? Is everything going to be back in stock or what is going on?"
Jon Falls came to the StarMed location on Tuckaseegee Thursday morning in search of formula for his son after driving all the way to Johnson City, Tennessee, to try to find some.
"We're hoping that everything goes back to normal soon," Falls said.
As shipments of formula continue to arrive in the U.S. as part of "Operation Fly Formula" and formula manufacturer Abbott plans to restart production at its closed plant by June 4, there is hope the shortage will be eased in the coming weeks and months.
Chris Dobbins, director for relations and response with StarMed Healthcare, said the healthcare provider will continue filling the need in the community as long as it's needed until the supply chain catches up.
"As we continue to learn more about the supply chain, I do think it's improving," Dobbins said, "but in the meantime, I think this is also a great service that we can provide."
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