Volunteer Appreciation Month Volunteers are the backbone of most nonprofits. Welcoming and finding a place for volunteers at your pantry fosters a sense of engagement in the community. Let’s explore some strategies to make your volunteers feel at home and a part of your pantry’s team.
Welcoming: This is one of the simplest and most effective ways to provide volunteers with a positive experience. -
Create a Positive Environment: Foster a positive and inclusive environment within your organization. Encourage open communication, provide opportunities for social interactions, and establish an atmosphere where everyone feels appreciated for their unique skills and perspectives. Volunteers are more likely to stay committed when they feel a sense of belonging.
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Flexible Scheduling: Volunteers have various commitments outside of their service hours. Provide flexible scheduling options to accommodate them. By demonstrating a commitment to their well-being and work-life balance, you will enable your volunteers to continue their efforts with your agency.
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Regular Feedback Sessions: Foster a culture of continuous improvement by conducting regular feedback sessions with your volunteers. Seek their input on processes, ask for suggestions, and show that their opinions matter. This not only enhances the volunteer experience but also helps in making improvements that contribute to overall satisfaction.
Creating a welcoming culture is key to retaining volunteers. When you ensure that your volunteers feel valued, recognized, and motivated, you enable them to continue in our collective mission of nourishing our neighbors alongside you for years to come. | |
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Important Dates
May 11 - NALC National Food Drive May 27 - Memorial Day; Food Bank of Wyoming is closed
July 1 - Beginning of fiscal year 2025 July 4 - Independence Day; Food Bank of Wyoming is closed We are thankful for your partnership, hard work, and dedication to helping Wyoming communities. All adjusted delivery dates are listed on your updated truck routes, which were emailed to your team in early March. |
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| Updated Truck Routes Online
The programs team emailed out all updated truck routes in early March. If you didn’t receive yours, please check your junk email box. If you can’t find the email with the attached PDFs for your routes, they are all available on our website. |
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Completing an Order Adjustment Request
When your order is delivered, your team is given an Agency Receipt to check that your delivery matches the order processed by our warehouse team. Sometimes an item is missing; that is when an Order Adjustment Request Form is needed. The amount due listed on your receipt will be processed to your account unless an adjustment form has been submitted within two days of receipt. To receive this form, email or call the HelpDesk. They will work with you to adjust our records so you only pay for what you received. This form can also be used to list no-charge items that should have been received. This process helps our team troubleshoot; it will not affect your invoiced amount. Here are a few things that your team will need to know to complete this form: - What was the order date? And what was the shipment (received) date?
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What is your organization’s Food Bank of Wyoming Program ID#?
- What contact information do we need to follow up on this request?
- What is the invoice number (listed on the Agency Receipt starting with AO-___)?
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Complete a line for each missing item.
All of the above information is available on the Agency Receipt that was used to accept delivery. When you have completed the form, sign it, date it, scan it, and email it to helpdesk@wyomingfoodbank.org. You will receive an email confirming that your request has been received, and another when the process is completed. |
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Updating our logo on your website Did you know that Food Bank of Wyoming’s name and logo were created to reflect our focus, reach, and hope for our community? For instance, in our logo you will see that we are using the colors of food – raspberries, eggplant, avocados, and kale – to signify taking root and growing to nourish our community.
Have you updated your printed materials, website, press releases, and social media to replace our old logo with our new one? Please do so today! Download our logo here. |
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Partner Spotlight: Needs Inc. The Needs Inc. Food Pantry has been helping Laramie County communities since 1972 and is a trusted staple within Cheyenne for individuals facing food security. Since 2012, they have distributed 4.5 million pounds of food from Food Bank of Wyoming. Awesome! A few of their signature food assistance resources are: -
“Walking Bags” for neighbors experiencing homelessness, which contain water and foods that do not need to be heated
- “Commodity Food Boxes” filled with 5-7 meals, available every 10 days, for neighbors who can store and cook food
- “Monthly Food Boxes” are available to eligible residents within Laramie County and contain 15-20 meals each month
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Fresh produce is also available to anyone in the community
In addition to its food pantry, Needs Inc. also has a thrift store and a clothing store that is open to the public free of charge, as well as a Career Closet available by appointment. Through these programs, they provide clothing, household items, and school supplies, all are free and available to anyone, with no qualification criteria. Hygiene bags and household essentials are also available on a limited basis. Additionally, their team provides referral services to other agencies in the community to assist with housing, medical care, etc.
Needs Inc. serves an average of 125 guests per day, striving to help community members in need with dignity and respect during their time of adversity. |
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Neighbor Resources: It's Tax Season!
Wyoming Free Tax Service is a tax preparation service for older adults and low-income households. Services are provided at libraries, churches, senior centers, and recreation centers in many locations in Wyoming through mid-April. Some locations require reservations and some work on a first-come, first-served, walk-in basis; hours vary depending on location. Find a location near you by visiting Wyoming Free Tax Service. Eligible Wyomingites should file their state tax return by April 15.
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We are currently looking for Wyoming residents who are passionate about supporting our neighbors experiencing food insecurity. Want to do good with good people? Join us! Check out the available opportunities at this link! |
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This institution is an equal opportunity provider. |
Food Bank of Wyoming aspires to meet individuals where they are with the foods they need based on their unique circumstances and culture. We show up for any person experiencing hunger knowing that food insecurity can impact any of us at various points in our lives. Today, we may be packing produce for a person facing an unforeseen health crisis and tomorrow we may be providing a weekend food bag to a child whose caregiver may be struggling to find a well-paying job. The circumstances may be different, but we never waver from our mission of igniting the power of community to nourish people facing hunger.
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