Delaware can look out for 44,000 cans of baby formula headed its way.
Lt. Gov. Bethany Hall-Long shared a major announcement Wednesday for Delaware families still feeling the strain of baby formula shortage in the United States. Delaware is gearing up to provide thousands of canisters of formula for families in need, she told a gathering at the Food Bank of Delaware.
The First State’s shortage was one of the worst in the country earlier this year, as Delaware Online/The News Journal reported. Now, it’s among the first states to announce a program to provide relief.
“We’re going to make sure we’re up and down the state,” Hall-Long told the room. And it all starts Feb. 2, she added, with more information to soon land on the state’s website.
Hall-Long said families with a baby younger than 12 months old will only need to reside in the state to take advantage of the program, with no official identification required. She also said the Care A2+ cans coming are larger than what parents typically find on shelves, yielding roughly 21 bottles of 8 ounces each.
She said the formula would be distributed through the Food Bank of Delaware, Boys & Girls Clubs of Delaware and several other community organizations.
Care A2+ is an Australian-owned and run nutrition and wellness company, producing infant and toddler formula alongside “premium products focused on nutrition and wellbeing,” according to its website. Its formula was approved by the Food and Drug Administration for U.S. sale in July of last year, and Gensco Pharma, a specialty pharmaceutical company, now represents the brand in the U.S.
This announcement comes in step with another this week. The FDA announced Jan. 31 it’s appointing a deputy commissioner of “human food,” to oversee food safety and nutrition. The move follows the baby formula crisis and other outbreaks of foodborne illness.
Speakers said partnerships to get this program running in Delaware have been months in the making.
“Folks, this was a long process,” Hall-Long told the room. “But a successful process.”
This program is launching Thursday; stick with Delaware Online for more updates as they become available.
