About Us

L.I.F.E. Houston, a United Way partner has been filling bottles and feeding babies since 1988. Our Food For Babies program began with the combined efforts of Marion Knight and the leadership of the Church of St. John the Divine in Houston.

Mission

To provide emergency nourishment for hungry babies and provide education about proper infant nutrition to families in need.

Vision

To meet the nutritional needs of babies in the Southeast Texas area through the provision of emergency infant formula and other sustaining services.

Agency Facts

L.I.F.E. Houston is the city's only food bank for babies.Through our emergency formula assistance, we help ensure that the cost of formula does not prohibit families from accessing the essential nutrition for their infant’s first year of life. By providing emergency infant formula and ensuring access to the right nutrition among families with infants, L.I.F.E. Houston helps ensure that all Houston-area families can give their babies a strong start in life.

We help families support baby's healthy growth and development because...

...caregivers that are able to provide consistent nutrition to their baby are less stressed and able to support their families better.
...a baby's brain grows more in the first year than during the rest of baby's life.
...the effects of food insecurity in infancy can be seen at only 2 years of age.
...when babies get appropriate nutrition in the first year, they have the foundation for a lifetime of physical and mental health.

Having a new baby can be joyous but also difficult for families. In addition to financial cost, families also deal with stress from changed schedules, lack of sleep, and all the other stresses that come from having a newborn. By providing over 97,000 bottles to families in 2019, we helped over 1,500 Houston-area families experience less stress related to feeding their children, a primary concern for new families with limited funds. Reducing stress among parents and caregivers can help facilitate strong attachment between baby and their important caregivers, which is crucial for healthy growth and development.

In addition to infant formula & baby food, we also make sure that families know about other resources for their babies and for other members of the family. Every year, we host two client events - a baby shower in the summer and our infant holiday bash in December.

L.I.F.E. Houston is a low barrier organization, which means we require only a photo ID for parent or caregiver and proof of the infant’s name and birth date. On each visit, we give enough formula for 5 - 7 days. To learn more about getting formula, please click here.