August 19, 2004

With a little help from the blogosphere.

I just got and email from Robyn about the need for baby formula in the areas affected by Charley and we need your help. Please read the following and then help us out by sending the pre-written email off to big stores that she mentioned.
Thank you.
From Robyn:
I was watching ABC Action News today and they put out the call for liquid
formula. I had actually mentioned that to Todd the other day that I
couldn't believe I hadn't seen it on donation list requests yet -- because I
bought two boxes with eight 6 oz. bottles for our "hurricane kit" (our son
drinks six 6 oz. bottles a day) -- and they're $13.49 each at TRU and BRU,
and $17.99 at Walgreens. In a hurricane, you could only really use the
individual ready-to-feed bottles and cans with the lack of water to make the
powdered formula, and the inability to refrigerate the larger quart sizes
that we normally buy. So basically I spent $27 on what is less than a 3-day
supply for him. And these people have been without power a week now!

I typed up the following letter (since modified to remove all formula
company references) and I've already sent it to Enfamil, Similac, Nestle
Good Start, and Bright Beginnings. Wasn't sure if you'd want to make the
text available for your site -- but if people have the time and want to help
me out on my mission, they could also start contacting companies with
formula supplies on hand like Publix, Wal Mart, Target, Walgreens, etc.

----------------------------------------------------

Our local Tampa Bay ABC News affiliate, together with the Red Cross, is
putting out word that relief workers desperately need individual serving
liquid baby formula bottles and cans for the victims of Hurricane Charley.
I thought I would contact a corporation I trust the most and beg for your
immediate response to the need at hand.

It would be wonderful if your company could donate several cases of
ready-to-feed bottles and cans to the relief efforts. The victims are still
without electricity, and have a very limited bottled water supply, making it
near-impossible to refrigerate larger ready-to-feed containers and make
bottles with the powdered versions of formula.

Just two "eight-pack" boxes of nursettes or cans will last less than three
days for a six-month old and run well over $25, and these families are going
on a week now without power and no end in sight...

If you are interested in helping out WFTS ABC Action News and the Red Cross
with this donation drive, the contact information is as follows:

http://www.tampabaylive.com

WFTS ABC Action News
4045 N. Himes Avenue
Tampa, Florida 33607

Toll-free number: 1-877-833-2828
Main switchboard: 1-813-354-2828

Thank you so much for your time and consideration in this matter! It's why
I trust and purchase from companies like [insert company name here].

Sincerely,
[insert your name here]