Infant Crisis Services Gives Update On Formula Shortage, Rebuilding Inventory

For the past year, families have had to juggle a pandemic, running a household and finding formula for their newborns.  

The infant formula shortage is better than it has been in months, but now organizations find themselves rebuilding their inventory after meeting extensive community needs.  

Infant Crisis Services told News 9 they experienced a 39% increase in clients during the shortage.  

“We never had to say, ‘I’m sorry but I can’t help you.’ It really leveled the playing field there were people that came to us that probably wouldn’t come to us otherwise, but they couldn’t find formula,” said Miki Farris, the Executive Director and Co-Founder of Infant Crisis Services.  

Mothers like Norma Morales and Maria Rincon went to great lengths to feed their babies during the formula shortage.  

“I recommend Infant Crisis Services to any mom, especially single moms, to come to Infant Crisis Services and they can help with your formula, diapers, clothes for your baby,” said Morales who goes to Infant Crisis Services.   

“You would walk into the store and all you would find is empty shelves, there was nothing there. If there was any there was a limit, you could only buy one,” said Rincon who has also been using their services.   

Rincon lives in Oklahoma City and often found herself traveling to Moore, Norman and surrounding towns searching the shelves before calling Infant Crisis Services and finding what she needed.  

“I had to change her formula a couple of times due to not finding it at any stores,” she said.  

During the months of April to June, Infant Crisis Services saw a 204% increase in requests for specialty formula.  

“We are still having a really hard time getting the specialty formula that we need. When those babies need specialty formula, they need that formula. They can’t change one for the other,” said Farris.  

They also saw a 143% increase in their BabyMobile service and visited 22 counties during the shortage.  

“There aren’t a whole lot of resources in those smaller towns so when we pull up in those baby mobiles there’s lines to get the goods that we are able to provide,” said Farris.  

She said they have also increased their bottle donations to go along with the formula.  

If anyone wants to help them with formula, Farris said financial donations are best so they can buy quantity needed for families.