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Essential Baby Supplies Delivered to Colorado from FEMA

DENVER (April 13, 2020) - Today, the Statewide Feeding Task Force working through the Unified Coordination Group announced Colorado received a $3 million delivery of infant supplies from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) that includes:

  • 8,200 cases of formula
  • 23,260 packages of diapers
  • 53,167 packages of diaper wipes

These essential supplies will go to families who are experiencing poverty and not able to find resources to meet their basic needs. The distribution of the supplies will be at 41 locations statewide at Colorado's food banks and family resource centers. These supplies will also be available to families enrolled in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) and child care providers taking part in the Emergency Child Care Collaborative.

State agencies and other nonprofit partners across the state have been fielding urgent requests for formula, diapers and wipes from front line workers and child care providers offering emergency child care. This need arose both because there was difficulty finding supplies in retail stores, and because families are facing the economic impacts of being laid off from work, and cannot afford supplies even if they are available.

“We are proud to be leading the Statewide Feeding Task Force and are encouraged by the statewide coordination with partners to identify needs and collaborate to meet them,” said Colorado Department of Human Services Executive Director Michelle Barnes. “We are thrilled with the response we’ve received from FEMA and the quick distribution of these much-needed supplies. Together, we will get through this.”

Similar to toilet paper and hand sanitizer, panic buying has left stores and diaper banks empty of baby essentials. Colorado’s Family Resource Centers, Early Childhood Councils and local food pantries have had difficulty purchasing supplies from normal distributors, creating a dire situation for families. Some families may be resorting to changing diapers infrequently, which can cause infections and require medical attention, a situation that must be avoided in light of the medical community’s current focus on COVID-19. Likewise, the inability of parents to feed their babies has a health impact on the child and increases family stress and risk for child neglect.

The Feeding Task Force is coordinating the delivery of these supplies to food banks and family resource centers (FRCs) with support from the Unified Coordination Group (UCG). The delivery of supplies will be coordinated by the UCG logistics team to 34 FRCs across the state and subsequently to the emergency child care providers. FRCs are prepared to distribute these supplies directly to families in need utilizing existing local family support staff.

“Thank you to all the community partners in voicing this need, and to FEMA for working with Colorado and assisting in serving our families,” said Barnes. “In addition to the Emergency Child Care Collaborative and Colorado Crisis Services, this is one more way we are urgently working to support and meet the needs of Coloradans.”

For more information on how to access these resources, please visit the Office of Early Childhood’s website. Below is a list of distribution sites around the state.

The Statewide Feeding Task Force was created on March 9 to respond to COVID-19 feeding needs. Participating organizations in the Statewide Feeding Task Force include, but are not limited to: Colorado Department of Human Services (CDHS), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Colorado Department of Agriculture (CDA), Colorado Department of Public Health Environment (CDPHE), Colorado Department of Education (CDE), Colorado Voluntary Organizations Active in Disasters (VOADs), FEMA, Food Banks, Blueprint to End Hunger, and other state and local food partners.

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