Restaurant gives away free cans of baby formula
By Caroline Vandergriff
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MANSFIELD, Texas (KTVT) — As families in North Texas and across the country struggle to feed their babies during the infant formula shortage, a Mansfield restaurant is stepping in to help.
Our Place is donating cans of formula on a first come, first serve basis.
“The community was so wonderful to us during Covid,” said Jessy Kennedy, the manager of Our Place. “They supported us in so many different ways. This was our way of finally being able to give back to the community.”
After watching the formula shortage take a toll on so many families, the restaurant reached out its food distributor to get several cases. As soon as the shipments arrive, Our Place is giving away cans for free.
“Even just one can, this will last me at least two to three weeks,” said Whitney Tanner, who has a six-month-old baby. “It’s a huge blessing, to say the least, because you just want to cry. You want to stand in the aisle and cry because there’s no formula.”
Parents and caretakers say they’ve been driving to multiple stores to find the formula they need, only to come out empty handed.
“Kroger, Walmart, Target, Walgreens,” said Candace Alexander, grandmother of a five-month-old baby. “There’s nothing there. This is the particular brand my grandson uses. It’s just short everywhere. We’ve been having a difficult time.”
The shortage has been compounded by pandemic-related supply chain issues and the shutdown of a Michigan plant in February over recalls. The FDA announced Monday that plant can begin the process of reopening, but it could still take another two months before its formula is back on store shelves.
In the meantime, Our Place plans to continue doing giveaways.
“As long as our distributor has the formula, we’re going to try to order as much as we can,” Kennedy said.
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