Those with low incomes are suffering the most from the baby formula shortage.
In Thursday’s Senate vote, the bill to assist these families with baby formula shortage was approved by the Senate, and now it is on President Biden’s desk for him to sign.
Several Lake County families believe this legislation is desperately needed.
Fate of Babies in Poor Families Depends on the Bill
The baby formula for Ziva, who is five months old, has a one-month supply left.
Her family is experiencing a lot of stress due to the shortage of formula.
“It’s really overwhelming because if you can’t find it, what do you do?” Ziva’s mom, Chelsey Adame said.
Because of the limited options available to the Leesburg family, their situation is particularly challenging.
Through WIC, they are able to get baby formula.
Low-income families can receive food, like formula, through the Women Infants and Children Program.
There are only a few formulas that are WIC-approved, and Adame has been unable to find Ziva’s WIC-approved formula for months.
“The reason that we’re on WIC is because we genuinely cannot afford it because it’s so expensive, especially when your daughter is using expensive formulas,” Adame said.
Because her daughter is allergic to cow’s milk, she has to use a special formula.
“She ends up with rashes,” Adame stated.
Ziva does have other options available to her, but they are not WIC-approved, and Adame cannot afford to pay $40 per can, or $400 a month, out of pocket.
“We can’t just be spending $400 a month,” she stated.
“That’s about how much I spend in daycare for my son, so it’s kind of one or the other. Does my daughter eat or does my son go to school?”
It is Adame’s hope that the president will sign the new Access to Baby Formula Act, which would ease WIC rules for more babies to be able to receive vital formula.
“I don’t just think about us. I think about everybody else. The babies who are being born that need the formula more than we do honestly. It’s just sad, it’s scary,” she added.
“We just really have to help each other out right now.”
