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