JACKSON, Wyo. — As sweeping changes to government safety-net programs happen across the nation and the state, Wyoming nonprofits are stepping up to fill a widening gap in food access for the most vulnerable community members.
Community Foundation of Jackson Hole’s President Laurie Andrews spoke with Buckrail about the role nonprofits play in communities and the relationship they have with government. Andrews likened the share of responsibility to a three-legged stool: one leg representing the free market, one as the government and one as nonprofit operations.
“If all of those are carrying their weight, showing up, providing support to the community, you’re going to have a thriving community,” Andrews said. “I think right now, at best, some of those legs are wobbly. The government side of it is wobbly.”
According to Feeding America, a nationwide nonprofit and network of over 200 food banks, there are more than 90,000 Wyoming residents facing food insecurity. Over 27,000 of those are children. The Food Bank of Wyoming distributed nearly 12.4 million pounds of food across the state in 2024, with 39% of that being fresh produce that is always distributed at no cost to partnering organizations.
The Jackson Cupboard food pantry at One22 Resource Center distributed 486,303 pounds of food to 2,035 individuals last year. One22’s Director of Community Engagement Seadar Rose Davis told Buckrail that during the COVID-19 pandemic, 11 local groups joined forces to address food access concerns in the valley. These heightened issues stemmed from shutdowns and quarantines. The Jackson Hole Food Collaborators Group is made up of the following agencies: Hole Food Rescue, One22 Resource Center (Jackson Cupboard), Slow Food in the Tetons, Fund for Public Education, Children’s Learning Center, Presbyterian Church of Jackson Hole, Teton County Health Department, Teton County School District #1, Good Samaritan Mission, Senior Center of Jackson Hole and Voices JH.
“The group continues to gather regularly to share ideas, decrease duplications and strategically tackle food insecurity in our community together,” Davis wrote in an email.
Andrews praised the ways local nonprofits have been able to work together to serve the community’s needs.
“What I think of when I think of our food access, and the nonprofits that are focused in this area, is how they have come together and are working on collaborating and they are really consciously knowing how to support each other’s work,” she said.
Food Bank of Wyoming partners with more than 150 “hunger relief partners” around the state, including the Jackson Cupboard at One22, Good Samaritan Mission, Hole Food Rescue and the Alpine Food Bank. Executive Director Danica Sveda told Buckrail that the vast majority of the Food Bank’s funding comes through private donations. The nonprofit sources the bulk of its food from rescue programs and wholesale orders, then stores and transports it directly to partners in every county. Wyoming’s rural infrastructure and weather can often pose hurdles for the 29 weekly delivery routes. In 2024, volunteers donated 18,700 hours to Food Bank of Wyoming, which would be the equivalent of nine full-time employees.
“The overarching message is just look after your neighbors, keep track of each other,” Sveda said. “Wyoming is good at helping each other out.”
In Jackson, Hole Food Rescue (HFR) has already saved 348,227 pounds of food from the landfill this year, according to its social media pages. Over the summer, the Sprout Summer Lunch Program handed out more than 9,000 free lunches to students on summer break. According to HFR Program Director Ivan Jimenez, the largest program is the weekly Food for the Community initiative.
“This is a no-cost, no-questions-asked grocery program,” Jimenez told Buckrail. “The main thing is to offer food. Nine times [and locations] a week, anyone can come and access free rescued food. We give away in the realm of 8,000 to 10,000 pounds of food every week.”
According to Good Samaritan Mission CEO Jeremy Aughenbaugh, the Mission has a newly expanded food pantry that supports over 150 local households on a regular basis. The Mission, which is open 365 days a year from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., relies on donations from food drives and food purchased at cost. A large donation of meat from a local 4-H group helped bolster the summer supply at the Mission.
Aughenbaugh told Buckrail that the Mission hosts free community dinners seven nights a week, as well as breakfast and lunch on the weekends, welcoming anyone and everyone. Attending a meal does not require proof of ID or proof of residency; Aughenbaugh emphasized that the meals are open to everyone.
Slow Food in the Tetons offers no-questions-asked, dedicated discounts on food products through its Local Food Access Program. Slow Food touts the program as an option for “anyone who finds cost to be a barrier to purchasing local and regional food.” When shopping on the Online Marketplace, the Slow Food Farm Stand or the Winter People’s Market, shoppers can choose an option for a price reduction. According to Slow Food’s 2024 Impact Report, the discounts saved community members $111,875 when purchasing local produce and other food.
“Food support and food needs in our community are — I hate to use an overused analogy — but they are kind of a canary in a coal mine,” Andrews said. “It tells us the pressure and financial needs of our community have increased to a breaking point, and that puts the pressure on the nonprofits. … I do think food access tells more of a story than just one aspect of our community. It actually can help you to better understand the whole landscape of needs.”
Follow along as Buckrail dives into the changing world of food access in Teton County and Wyoming through interviews with food producers, food pantries, nonprofits, government agencies and more.
