KANNAPOLIS – The baby formula shortage has taken a toll on families in communities across the country and residents of Kannapolis are no exception.

With supply-chain issues, plant shutdowns and product recalls all currently impacting the production and delivery of formula, parents in the community have had to do their best just to find available products.

StarMed Healthcare, an independent healthcare provider based out of Charlotte, is working with those hit the hardest by this shortage to provide some much-needed relief.

StarMed will be hosting a series of different baby formula giveaways in cities around North Carolina in the coming days and weeks, as part of an ongoing effort to create community outreach for local residents.

For people in and around Rowan and Cabarrus counties, assistance will come in the form of a giveaway event held this Wednesday from noon-4 p.m. at the Nova Credit Union at 169 Dale Earnhardt Blvd. in Downtown Kannapolis.

“StarMed is happy to help parents and caregivers in our communities who have been struggling for months to find baby formula,” said Jim Estramonte, StarMed’s CEO. “We admire their dedication, effort and determination and we’re glad to help in any way that we can during these trying times. Every person’s health is important, especially our youngest ages.”

The giveaway will be open to the public with the only rule being that participants limit themselves to one can of formula per person.

Cliff Mehrtens, the communications manager for the healthcare provider, said that each can could provide roughly a week’s worth of food for a baby and that in the giveaways held up until this point, they have already given out over 2,000 cans of the formula.

Mehrtens emphasized the fact that StarMed would “turn away no one” and that people from outside Kannapolis in neighboring communities were welcome to come out as well.

Other upcoming giveaways around the state will be held in the following locations:

• Thursday, June 23: Union Baptist Church, 1200 Trade St. NW, Winston-Salem — 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
• Friday, June 24: Asheville Mall, 3 South Tunnel Road, Asheville — 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
• Saturday, June 25: Four Seasons Mall, 410 Four Seasons Towne Centre, Greensboro — 11 a.m.-7 p.m.
• Monday, June 27: Wake Tech (North campus), 6600 Louisburg Road, Raleigh — 11 a.m.-5 p.m.

StarMed began hosting baby formula giveaways in May and will monitor supplies and availability for the potential of scheduling future events.

Any further questions about the giveaway can be directed to Mehrtens at Clifton.Mehrtens@StarmountHealthcare.com.