The Power of One Voice.

The power of coming together lies in the collective strength of individuals uniting for a common purpose. When people join forces, they bring together their unique talents, perspectives, and experiences, creating a force far greater than any one individual could achieve alone. Wyoming Hunger Initiative was launched in 2019 with two tenants in mind: one, to never reinvent the wheel and two, to be in all twenty-three Wyoming counties.

Through the relationships that have been developed across the state specific to food insecurity, Wyoming Hunger Initiative has identified partners in every community. Thanks to a grant from the Hughes Charitable Foundation, Wyoming Hunger Initiative was able to host a second Regional Summit in Natrona County earlier this month to bring folks together who are working in this space. Whether in times of celebration or crisis, the strength found in unity serves as a reminder that we are all stronger together.

The event kicked off with a volunteer recognition celebration at The Wolcott Galleria (thanks to Shane and JoAnn True) where anti-hunger organizations in central Wyoming nominated a volunteer from their organization to be recognized. Without the countless volunteers across the county, this work wouldn't be possible. We were joined by Wyoming Hunger Initiative board members, Director Korin Schmidt from the Wyoming Department of Family Services, and local legislators; Senator Jim Anderson, Representative Art Washut, Representative Julie Jarvis, and Representative Elissa Campbell.

The following volunteers were recognized at this event:

• Rod Burwell, Wyoming Patriots Community

• Kay Eichorn, Alcova Food Pantry

• Kali McCrackin Goodenough, Wyoming Food Coalition

• Cherie Schoonover, Wyoming Food for Thought Project

• Wally and Cyndi Holbrook, Helping Hands Community Service

• Karen Flint, Joshua's Storehouse

• Cathy Ames, Food Bank of Wyoming

• Sandy Trenholm, Douglas Blessings in a Backpack

• All Volunteers, City Park Church, The Giving Table

• Steve and Mary Lovelace, Casper Housing Authority and Urban Thistle Farm & Market

• Brian and Michelle Dandurand, Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Wyoming

• Jennifer Breitling, Dan's Meat Processing

• Dave Adams, Wyoming Rescue Mission

The next day we got down to business at WYO Sports Ranch by taking a hard look at what we can do to improve and expand resources for anti-hunger organizations in central Wyoming. Together, we identified challenges, brainstormed solutions, and developed a list of realistic action items.

The following anti-hunger organizations were involved with the Wyoming Hunger Initiative Regional Summit in central Wyoming.

• Alcova Food Pantry

• Blessings in a Backpack, Douglas

• Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Wyoming

• Cent$ible Nutrition Program

• City Park Church

• Food Bank of Wyoming

• The Food Works Group

• John P. Ellbogen Foundation

• Joshua's Storehouse

• Hughes Charitable Foundation

• McMurry Foundation

• Poverty Resistance

• Radius Church, Helping Hands Community Service

• Salvation Army, Casper

• Wyoming Department of Education

• Wyoming Department of Family Services

• Wyoming Food Coalition

• Wyoming Food for Thought Project

• Wyoming Patriots Community

• Wyoming Rescue Mission

• Wyoming 2-1-1

The power of one voice lies in its ability to spark change, inspire others, and challenge the status quo. Even the quietest words can ripple outward, igniting collective action and influencing the course of history. A single voice, when rooted in conviction, can move mountains, break barriers, and give rise to movements that shape the future.

Lastly, Wyoming Hunger Initiative team members and regional directors traveled to be part of this event. The passion that you see here is what drives the work that Wyoming Hunger Initiative has done and continues to do. Thank you for joining us!

Photo credit: Amy Elizabeth Images