CLINTON COUNTY — The baby formula shortage has been affecting Hoosiers for months.
People from different communities, even states, are stepping up to help parents who can't find the food needed to feed their babies.
The shortage is nationwide, and Hoosiers aren't being spared either.
This is why organizations in Clinton County are stepping up to help provide much-needed relief to parents.
"It's just imperative. This is a baby's health, whether they get to eat or not.," Libbi Smith said. "The shelves are emptying quick."
Smith works for Healthy Communities of Clinton County.
Empty shelves in many cases mean hungry babies and stressed moms and dads.
Smith said she is seeing the problem firsthand. More parents than ever before are calling her asking for assistance.
"It's terrible to think that America could be similar to like a third world country where people are hungry and kids are hungry," Smith said.
It's a numbing reality for parents. This is why Smith said she knew something needed to be done.
"I've had calls from moms who say I've got the last of this can and that's it," Smith said. "People rely on us, they know they can come here, and we have lots of resources. So, the fact that they donated it to us so that we could get it out to where it needs to be, we're just beyond blessed."
Healthy Communities of Clinton County has been able to provide parents in the community with formula but began to run low on Enfamil on Thursday.
That was until Clinton House donated 100 cans of it.
"This is just in the nick of time," Smith said.
Clinton House got the formula after contacting their corporate office and asking what they could do to help.
They were able to resource an abundance of formula, and once their employees and residents' families were taken care of they donated it to Healthy Communities of Clinton County.
"Within a week they had their hands on the supply with the gold lid," Tracy Wells of Clinton House said. "So we're sharing in on the gold."
Clinton House is a rehabilitation and health care facility that takes care of much older patients. They say they recognized a need and felt compelled to step in.
"The needs are out there in the community, it's just not in the four walls contained in our building," Wells said. "The need is there. The need is real, it's every day."
Smith says her facility used to have formula sit on the shelves and expire, now she says she can barely keep up with demand.
The formula is free to anyone who needs it.
All you have to do is go to their facility, located at 1234 Rossville Ave Suite A, Frankfort, IN 46041.
The facility asks that you call before arriving. Their number is: 765-659-6063.
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