After Hurricane Helene swept through Western North Carolina, families already coping with displacement and job loss suddenly faced another crisis: finding the infant formula their babies needed. Formula costs range from $70 to $200 per month depending on the baby’s age, appetite, formula type and brand.  Many assume that WIC provides for all needs of babies, and while that is not true, the crisis of the federal government shutdown added another barrier that threatened the most vulnerable from receiving proper nutrition.  As shelves emptied and WIC eligibility gaps left many caregivers without support, Babies Need Bottoms became the place people turned when every other door had closed.

Seeing the urgency, WNC Bridge Foundation awarded a NOW Grant to help Babies Need Bottoms purchase and distribute formula across the 18 counties they serve.  This organization, also the region’s only diaper bank, has a trusted network of partners including but not limited to health clinics, food pantries, faith-based groups, family resource centers and others who make their vision possible.

Thanks to this support, Babies Need Bottoms could respond quickly and compassionately, ensuring babies across our region had what they needed most: a safe, healthy start.