The unexpected closure of Douglas’ food pantry in 2023 threatened the food security of many residents in the area. To make sure people still got the nutrition they needed, local volunteers partnered with Food Bank of Wyoming to quickly organize a temporary solution. “We had community meetings with the Food Bank to discuss the needs of the citizens here in Douglas,” said Felicia Smith, a longtime community volunteer. “We partnered with them to do three mobile pantries while we’re in the process of creating our own permanent food bank here.” During the third and final mobile pantry event, which ..read more

Food Bank of Wyoming couldn’t do what we do without volunteers. As our food distribution programs and operations continue to expand across the state, so, too, do our volunteer operations. From packing boxes for mobile pantries and assembling bags of fresh produce, to delivering food boxes to older adults and pulling orders in the distribution center, we have a wide range of volunteer opportunities available weekly! It takes many individuals and several different Food Bank of Wyoming teams to organize and support a volunteer event from start to finish. The programs team kicks things off by cre ..read more

While data points can only tell a fraction of a story, numbers from 2023 speak loudly to the state of food insecurity in the communities we serve. Last year, Food Bank of Wyoming distributed enough food to provide the daily equivalent of more than 23,800 meals. That’s a 9% increase over the previous year and the highest amount we’ve distributed since 2021, at the height of the pandemic. This increase in distributed food mirrors what we’re seeing nationally. In October, the USDA released its annual study measuring food security in the U.S. and revealed that food insecurity across the nation inc ..read more

If you’re in need of a New Year’s resolution that will make you feel great, start a new tradition like volunteering — while on the job! Food Bank of Wyoming is promoting just that with their first “Oil City Corporate Challenge.” This challenge engages employers and organizations statewide, while supporting Wyoming neighbors in need of food assistance. Through March 31, 2024, corporations and groups are invited to compete for a traveling trophy while making a BIG difference in our community. The friendly, three-month competition among employers and groups of all sizes aims to boost employee eng ..read more

How much do you know about food safety? If you’re like many Americans who have never had formal training in food safety, there’s a good chance that your knowledge is incomplete at best. Even worse, some food safety “facts” that you may have absorbed over the years might actually be food safety myths! Here’s the problem: Food safety myths aren’t harmless. In fact, a recent study from Europe noted that food safety myths were strongly correlated with instances of foodborne illness. Put in simpler terms, food safety mistakes can have serious health consequences. So let’s get ready to expose som ..read more

Food Bank of Wyoming is thrilled to announce the launch of a new, innovative virtual tool that will help people across the state swiftly locate no-cost food and essential resources closest to them. The new “Find Food” tool on Food Bank of Wyoming’s website empowers people to explore the Food Bank’s network of food pantry partners and nearby distribution sites simply by entering an address, zip code, or city. “Hunger cuts across demographics and borders, indifferent to the past, present, or future chapters of a person’s life,” said Food Bank of Wyoming Director of Development, Jill Stillwagon ..read more

Just like so many people do at the start of a new year, Food Bank of Wyoming is also using this time of renewal and excitement to outline some 2024 “resolutions,” if you will. Across our programs and departments, our staff is hard at work brainstorming ways to more efficiently and effectively support our community with the food necessary to thrive. Join us in looking ahead to the new year with hope and anticipation, knowing that, thanks to your support, Food Bank of Wyoming will be able to nourish our neighbors experiencing hunger across the state.  The overarching objective for Food Ban ..read more

At Food Bank of Wyoming, we value the perspectives, inputs, and unique needs of every person of every community that we serve. And because our service area is the entire state, our team members strive to visit as many partners in as many counties of Wyoming as possible each year to gather the insights we need.  One of the partnerships we forged through our efforts last year was with Fort Washakie School on Wind River Indian Reservation and Buffalo Youth Nation Project, a Native-run nonprofit committed to serving the Native/Indigenous population of the Great Plains region.  Food inse ..read more

Outside of the volunteer fire station in Rock River are dozens of vehicles, each waiting for Food Bank of Wyoming’s mobile pantry to begin. Among the cars, trucks, and vans is Dennie Hoeck with his wheelbarrow. “My vehicle went down, my starter wire broke,” said Hoeck as volunteers loaded up his wheelbarrow with fresh produce and other essential food items. Deciding to walk a couple of blocks for fresh food was an easy decision for Hoeck. “The closest thing you get here is a little mercantile, and they’re rather expensive,” he explained. The mercantile is a small convenience store that offers ..read more

Food insecurity is a vast and complicated public health issue, intertwining with poverty and a variety of other medical and social conditions to negatively impact the lives of millions of Americans. Food insecurity is associated with numerous negative mental and physical health outcomes for all age groups but is especially dire in more vulnerable populations like children and older adults. Food insecurity is also a societal problem, negatively reinforcing racial and ethnic disparities by affecting Black and Latino households at disproportionate rates. We’ll explore the scope of food insecurit ..read more