Mayor Levar M. Stoney today announced that a new city program to address the impact of the nationwide baby formula crisis has received significant additional financial support that will enable it to provide assistance to hundreds of eligible Richmond families who cannot otherwise afford formula for their infants.
Following the Mayor’s May 16th announcement that the City of Richmond and Robins Foundation would dedicate a combined $45,000 to this effort, FeedMore, The Community Foundation, Bob and Anna Lou Schaberg Foundation, Mary Morton Parsons Foundation, Richmond Memorial Health Foundation and Jackson Foundation joined to provide an additional $135,000 to support this initiative.
A total of $180,000 will be transferred to Urban Baby Beginnings, a nonprofit organization that provides community support services for pregnant and parenting families. Urban Baby Beginnings will use city funds to purchase prepaid debit cards that will be distributed to families who otherwise cannot afford formula for their infants during the national recall and plant closure by Abbott Labs, which was formerly the only formula manufacturer approved through Virginia WIC. Richmond City Council this afternoon approved the formula assistance grant contract to support the program, which was initiated by the city’s Office of Children and Families.
“I can’t think of anything more important than making sure our babies have the nourishment they need to grow and thrive,” said Mayor Stoney. “This swift and generous response by our philanthropic and community partners is a testament to our shared commitment to working together to lift up Richmonders in a time of need, and I’m deeply grateful for their support and Council’s quick action to make this happen.”
Council approval for the program comes just two weeks after Mayor Stoney directed the City’s Office of Children and Families to determine how best to use City funds to support Richmond families during this difficult time.
“Many families in our community are feeling the impact of the formula shortage. It is a scary time for people with children under the age of 1,” said Stephanie Spencer, founding executive director of Baby Beginnings. Addressing the needs of our babies is paramount at this time. We may not have all the answers, but this is one way we can help.”
“Robins Foundation’s primary focus is ensuring young children learn, grow and thrive, and we are happy to partner with the City and our funding and nonprofit partners to support this innovative, collaborative effort to help local families access infant formula during this crisis,” said Chris Chin, president and CEO of Robins Foundation, which was the first private funder to partner with the City on this initiative.
Prepaid debit card distribution will require pre-registration; the registration link will be found on the Urban Baby Beginnings website and will go live June 6.
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