# Maria is struggling

By [123usd](https://paragraph.com/@123usd) · 2022-07-21

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Maria is struggling to feed her sons, who need specialized lactose-free formula because of digestive issues that prevent them from getting the nutrients they need from cow's milk.

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"Both of them throw up a lot because of this problem," Maria said. But her formula supply is stretched thin and she's currently struggling to find more amid the ongoing formula shortage in the US.

The family lives in [Salton Sea Beach](https://www.cnn.com/2022/05/11/business/salton-sea-lithium-extraction/index.html) in Southeast California, a hot and dry area that's not the most comfortable place to live, she said. But the fertile land around the lake, where seasonal crops such as cabbage, lettuce, broccoli, lemons and grapefruit are grown, provides robust farm work.

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*Originally published on [123usd](https://paragraph.com/@123usd/maria-is-struggling)*