What started as one alumna’s personal quest to help friends and family locate baby formula has turned into an online community group helping dozens of Lawrence-area parents.

In May, Abby Corrin, s’15, started the Lawrence Baby Formula Connection Facebook group to help Lawrence-area parents locate baby formula during the nationwide shortage. Corrin, a social worker, began by documenting the kind of formula her friends and family used. She would buy a few cans if she found them at a store.

“As a parent, you want nothing more than to be able to provide for the basic needs of your child,” Corrin said. “When something as critical as food is not available, it’s desperate. The community honestly has no choice but to rally and offer any kind of support.”

Corrin felt she could expand her efforts outside of her friends and family. She posted on a local mom’s group to see if others in the community needed help.

“The response I got was honestly overwhelming,” Corrin said.

Dozens of parents, older siblings and even grandparents replied to her post, wanting to be added to her list. After noticing such widespread community need, Corrin started her own Facebook group.

The group — which has 260 members — connects parents who post their needs with community members who contribute photos of what’s available in formula aisles at area stores. The Facebook page is still active as the need is ongoing and the shortage continues.

“There’s still a gap,” Corrin said. “We’re hoping that it will continue in this upward trajectory where moms don’t have to look so hard for the formulas they need. But right now, we still have people struggling.”