Fort Worth mom part of social network connecting those needing baby formula
NORTH TEXAS (CBSDFW.COM) - A network of moms across the country is helping families in North Texas find the formula they need to feed their babies.
While parents in Dallas-Forth Worth are seeing mostly empty shelves where formula should be at stores across the metroplex, that's not the case everywhere.
"It just seems like Texas is really getting the brunt of the shortage, and a lot of other states don't really have it as bad," said Jaquelyn Medrano, a Fort Worth mom. "And so why not helping each other?"
Medrano's friend Emily Swanson, who lives in Denver, started posting on Facebook what she could find at retailers near her.
"You can find what you're looking for here in one or two stores," said Swanson, a mom of two who is originally from Houston. "Whereas back home, my friends are driving to 10 and 20 stores and still not finding what they need."
That's why Swanson started buying cans to send to families.
"I've shipped probably 200 cans to I would probably say 15 or so states, the majority of which have been Texas," she said.
Her efforts eventually turned into the Facebook group, Nationwide Formula Search.
Swanson created the page just a few days ago, and members have already sent hundreds of cans to different parts of the country.
"I found friends that are amazing and also have newborns and are dedicated to the cause that are now running around to 10, 20 stores a day looking for specific things for people and it's been incredible to see," said Swanson.
Medrano turned to the group to help find a specific soy brand of formula her coworker needed and was able to get several cans for her from a mom in Nebraska.
"She couldn't believe it," Medrano said. "I mean, she was really surprised that people were willing to help her baby. They didn't know her or her baby, but it was a nice surprise. It was really nice to see that there are strangers, complete strangers, out there who really care and want to help."
The group is doing its best to weed out scammers or people with bad intentions.
"For this to work, it takes a little bit of faith and trust on both sides," she said. "I post pictures when I make shipments and I always send receipts for everything to people, so you can kind of verify the legitimacy of some people that way. There are people that I can vouch for individually, and then there are people that I don't know and I can't vouch for them. You just have to kind of make your own assessment as to whether or not you're willing to risk it."
So far, they've only seen positive interactions on the group.
"I've seen so many stories of people thanking each other and, 'I received my package and thank you so much, my baby is able to eat this week or next week.' And it really makes it all worth it," said Medrano.
If you don't feel comfortable buying or shipping baby formula, there are still other ways to help.
People post photos and information about the available formula at certain stories on Nationwide Formula Search.
"Even just being like, 'Hey, I'm at the store on these streets and they're empty. Don't even bother coming here,'" Medrano said, "That's also helping a lot, kind of alleviating these moms going from store to store really not knowing if that store is going to have anything."
The women say the work the group is doing restores their faith in humanity and proves it really does take a village to take care of our most vulnerable.
