WYOMING — The Wyoming Department of Family Services (DFS) released its final report regarding Gov. Mark Gordon’s October public welfare emergency executive order, and the governor has made a renewed call for battling food insecurity.
In response to the federal government shutdown in the fall, Gordon issued Executive Order 2025-08, which unlocked up to $10 million in support for state food pantries. During the shutdown, payments through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) were halted.
“These were extraordinary circumstances that required immediate action,” Gordon said in a Dec. 23 statement. “When federal benefits were delayed, Wyoming stepped up to make sure Wyoming families didn’t go hungry. Our response was fast, targeted and focused on getting healthy food to people who needed it. I’m proud of that work but I want to reiterate that this need has not ended with the restart of SNAP.”
The news release stated that DFS submitted a week-to-week proposal for hunger relief to the governor’s office, and funds started being disbursed within days. The emergency order provided two weeks of hunger relief assistance to organizations statewide before being officially rescinded when the shutdown ended.
In total, $2,411,536.50 was distributed between Nov. 5 and 19. See below for the breakdown:
- Mobile food pantries: $33,696.00
- Independent food pantries: $207,043.75
- Food pantries affiliated with the Food Bank of Wyoming: $1,074,444.42
- Food Bank of Wyoming: $1,096,352.33
“Through Governor Gordon’s swift action Wyoming families had access to food when they needed it,” DFS Director Korin Schmidt said via press release. “This collaborative effort met an immense and immediate need when federal benefits were not available. Our partners continue to face a food insecurity issue that remains a very real challenge in our state. Unfortunately, food insecurity is not decreasing.”
