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Wyoming Hunger Initiative celebrates providing over 250,000 snack sticks through Beef for Backpacks


Wyoming Hunger Initiative, 307 Meat Company, Wyoming Stock Growers Association, and Wyoming Beef Council launched a new program in 2023 under the Food from the Farm + Ranch banner called Beef for Backpacks. Thanks to the support of financial sponsors and local beef donors, Wyoming Hunger Initiative was able to provide over 250,000 beef sticks to weekend food bag programs since launching statewide during the 2023-2024 school year.


Beef for Backpacks was conceptualized when Wyoming Hunger Initiative received a call from Colorado wanting to bring beef sticks to Wyoming. Imitation is the highest form of flattery and with their permission, this program was brought to Wyoming utilizing the Wyoming network of resources to make this program a reality statewide.



1 beef translates into 2,880 snack stick packages that can serve 80 kids for 36 weeks. 6,796

kids are being served through weekend food bag programs around the state. Fresh food

and sources of high-quality protein are notoriously expensive and difficult to procure for

the food bank system making Beef for Backpacks a Wyoming solution to a Wyoming challenge.



So many people came together to make Beef for Backpacks possible in the first year. 307

Meat Company in Laramie has and continues to do all of the processing of the beef donated

to this program. Wyoming Stock Growers Association seeks out beef donations to the

program through their network. Wyoming Beef Council and Multivac provide all of the

labeling for these snack sticks.


After a successful first year, partners came together recently at the Governor's Residence in Cheyenne to celebrate the state coming together to meet this need.



The First Lady's vision for Wyoming Hunger Initiative was to encompass a component of agriculture that would be part of the solution to food insecurity in the state. Feeding America tells us that 1 in 5 kids in Wyoming face food insecurity. Being a rancher herself, the First Lady knows that the agriculture industry doesn't always tell its story but this is an example of the whole state coming together to make a difference for kids across Wyoming.


Blue Cross Blue Shield of Wyoming and the John P. Ellbogen Foundation were the first to come forward when this program launched to offer financial support to ensure that these snack sticks were offered free of charge to weekend food bag programs during the first year of the program. Wyoming Hunger Initiative is proud to announce that the snack sticks were offered free of charge for the 2024-2025 school year as well thanks to the generosity of so many.


The following financial partners have made this program possible:

  • Albertsons-Safeway

  • Blue Cross Blue Shield of Wyoming

  • Catholic Diocese of Cheyenne

  • Cigna

  • CFWC Women's Civic League of Cheyenne

  • Dan and Bobbi Frank

  • Enbridge

  • Farm Credit Services of America

  • Fun Biz Concessions, Inc.

  • John P. Ellbogen Foundation

  • Jonah Bank of Wyoming

  • McMurry Foundation

  • Northrop Grumman

  • UniWyo Credit Union

  • Valerie Gordon-Johnson and Doug Johnson

  • Numerous individual donors

This program is not possible without the generous donations of Wyoming beef to the program. The following donations made this milestone a reality with the 2024-2025 school year well underway:

  • Jack and Diana Berger, Saratoga

  • Jay and Linda Butler, Douglas

  • Child Land & Livestock, Cheyenne

  • Sean Crabtree, Newcastle

  • Shawn and Lisa Daly, Douglas

  • Earhart Farms, Powell

  • Marty and Darci Edwards, Gillette

  • Fluid Pro, Riverton

  • Gail Peterson, Pavillion

  • Gerry and Gwen Geis, Gillette

  • Geis Brothers, Gillette

  • Julia Gentle, Cheyenne

  • Mark and Jennie Gordon, Merlin Ranch (Buffalo)

  • Mark and Jennie Gordon, Gordon Ranch (Kaycee)

  • Grey Reef Ranch, LLC, Casper

  • Kiel and Kristin Harding, Harding Ranch (Cheyenne)

  • Malik and April Hegge, Casper

  • Jack Hickey Family Trust, Lonetree

  • H Lazy J Cattle, Mountain View

  • Holland Ranch, Worland

  • Horse Creek Cattle Company, Cheyenne

  • JRB LLC, Salt Lake City

  • J-9 LLC, Cody

  • King Ranch, Cheyenne

  • Keith and Wendi Lankister, Douglas

  • Lex Madden, Torrington

  • McMurray Foundation, Casper

  • Kate Mead, Jackson

  • Murraymere Farms, Powell

  • Occidental Petroleum, Cheyenne

  • Ed and Nancy Prosser, Cheyenne

  • Riverton Tire & Oil, Riverton

  • Rocky Mountain Agronomy Center, Riverton

  • Samson Energy, Cheyenne

  • Silver Spur Ranches, Encampment

  • James and Jaime Tarver, Gillette

  • Taylor Ranches, LLC, Lonetree

  • TE Ranch, Cody

  • Town and Country Supermarket Liquors, Cheyenne

  • Shane and JoAnn True, Casper

  • Tyrrell Chevrolet, Cheyenne

  • Walton Ranch, Jackson

  • Warren Livestock, Cheyenne

  • Wind River Oilfield Service, Riverton



Multiple individuals and organizations also provided in-kind services during the first year to include transportation of beef to the processor, hosting livestock until processing days, and advocating for this program.

  • Jay Butler, Douglas

  • Kelcey Christensen, Laramie

  • Cowboy Joe Club, Laramie

  • Kiel Harding, Cheyenne

  • Bobby Lane, Riverton

  • Gwen Geis, Gillette

  • Ryan Hedges, Riverton

  • Ron Ostrom, Powell

  • JD Petty, Kaycee

  • Marissa Taylor, Lonetree

  • Lance West, Burns


To conclude the Beef for Backpacks celebration, Wyoming Hunger Initiative and partners joined the local Friday Food Bag Foundation in Cheyenne to help pack the 1,350 bags needed to support kids in Cheyenne on the weekends. You will note that the snack sticks were included in each bag packed.



Beef for Backpacks is something everyone can get on board with and it is a program that has not happened in Wyoming before now. Emphasis is currently being placed on local foods and Wyoming Hunger Initiative couldn't think of a better way to take care of Wyoming kids than with locally grown, high-quality beef raised right here in Wyoming.


Wyoming Hunger Initiative will not stop until every Wyoming child has access to a snack stick on the weekend through a weekend food bag program that needs one. Although we met our goal for the 2023-2024 school year, more programs are coming on board and thus the number of donations necessary to provide the snack sticks has increased. You can help. Consider donating a beef to Wyoming Hunger Initiative for Beef for Backpacks today or spread the word in your local community. Together, we can do so much more!


Beef for Backpacks has had an impact on almost every county in Wyoming. This video tells our story. Take a look!



Thank you for joining the fight!



Photography: Janelle Rose Photography

Videography: Camerahead Media, LLC

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