February 2024

A Valentine's Message to Our Partners

Our partners are proof: It's all about who you know. Food Bank of Wyoming is better because we know you. Though our shared commitment to nourish Wyoming, we can work together to scale up, add value, improve the quality of our programs, and live out our values of service and collaboration. Because of our partners, Food Bank of Wyoming is stretching beyond our current abilities, working to grow and better serve you and your communities.

You are our Valentines. You make us better. Thank you.

There are no early closures or holidays

for the month of February 2024.

Have You Checked Out Your Vivery Profile?

Did you know that if your agency serves the public, you have a profile on our new Find Food Platform? If you haven't checked it out, you should! We are so excited to share all of the available possibilities and so impressed with the updates that some of our partners have made.

Go to the search bar and type in one of these partner agencies:

Wright Community Assistance
Laramie Interfaith
One22Resource Center
Peak Commodities
St. Thomas Episcopal Church

Neighbors can search for food resources using several parameters, such as distance radius, days of the week open, types of food offerings, additional service offerings, and more. Our HelpDesk will reach out via a phone call and an email in late February with more information. Stay tuned!

Our HelpDesk is Here to Serve You!

Food Bank of Wyoming’s HelpDesk Team consists of five staff members. Three people focus on partner inquiries and two focus on inquiries from the public. Our HelpDesk phone number — 307-265-2172 — is monitored by the entire team so that our partners and clients can quickly get the information they need.

Calls made to this number during office hours (7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.) will go to a HelpDesk staffer who can find the answers you need. Calls are monitored to ensure resolution for each caller. If a call comes in after office hours, the voicemails left will be automatically forwarded to our email: helpdesk@WyomingFoodBank.org

This email address is also monitored to direct inquiries to the appropriate team member. If we cannot answer your question, we will find someone who can as quickly as possible. Emails are also monitored to ensure fast resolution.

Our HelpDesk Team would like our Hunger Relief Partners to use the monitored phone number and/or email address. We would hate to miss your call or email just because your inquiries were sent to an unmonitored individual member’s desk phone or email.

Come Visit Us!

As the largest hunger-relief organization in Wyoming, Food Bank of Wyoming provides food and essentials directly to people facing hunger through more than 150 Hunger Relief Partners across the state. We would love to show your team around our campus and walk them through how we get food to your community. Call us to schedule.

Food Storage Tips

The FoodKeeper App on the USDA's website is a great tool to help your neighbors understand food and beverage storage best practices in order to maximize freshness and quality. It is available as a mobile application for Android and Apple devices. This and many more resources are available on Food Bank of Wyoming’s Partner Portal.

Partner Highlight: Arc of Natrona County

In 1963, ARC of Natrona County officially began as an informal parent group and was eventually incorporated in 1977. Now they provide adult day services, residential habilitation, inclusion programs, information and referral, respite services, advocacy, and a range of family support services in the area.

Food Bank of Wyoming and ARC have partnered throughout the last 11 years, allowing the program to provide free snacks and lunches to clients when they are unable to bring their own and even providing fresh produce to clients' families when it is available.

ARC of Natrona County used a portion of the food sourced from Food Bank of Wyoming (14,173 pounds over the last 11 years) to provide meals and snacks at their annual summer camp on Casper Mountain. The organization is very thankful for being able to get food for free or at a lower cost so they can apply those funds to other areas within their programming.

Additionally, Food Bank of Wyoming engages ARC clients and staff to volunteer monthly. Shianne Daniels, adult day coordinator, shared, “Volunteering is a great way for the individuals in our Adult Day Program to get out and get involved with the community. It shows them that you can do something for the good of other people. It's all about giving back.

“Our clients enjoy their volunteer days. Every time they return from Food Bank of Wyoming, they smile and share favorite moments during their volunteer shift. The ARC of Natrona County tries to prepare them for life on their own and volunteering is a great way to get them out and about.”

Spring Holiday Food Purchases

Spring is in the air, soon! So it's that time to look at your regularly scheduled deliveries and plan for March's spring break and Easter needs. Checking for some of the basics via Food Bank of Wyoming can help in reducing overall holiday pantry costs.

The 2024 Cultural Holidays calendar will soon be available in the Partner Portal. It is a great tool to help connect with your clients.

Reading Your Agency Receipt

When your order is delivered, your team is given an Agency Receipt (see below) which shows an itemized account of all products and any delivery charges. Use this document to check that your delivery matches. This receipt is your agency's only copy, please share it with your bookkeeper for payment.

Below are just a few topics that your team will need to recognize:

Is there a Delivery Fee?
Are there items that you didn't receive because they were out of stock?
Donated items ordered on Agency Express should be blank under "Total Fee".
Was any of this order covered by a grant?
How much should be paid?

When you have accepted your order, verify it in the following ways:

Sign Food Bank of Wyoming’s copy of your receipt, scan it, and email it to helpdesk@wyomingfoodbank.org
Do not sign the receipt without verifying the accuracy of your order.
If items are missing, please notify the HelpDesk at 307-265-2172 immediately. They will work with you to adjust our records, so you only pay for what was received.

The amount due listed on your receipt will be processed to your account unless an adjustment form has been submitted within 2 days of receipt.

Credit Card Payments

Your agency can now pay invoices via credit card! Because the security of your information is paramount to us, we have strict protocols around this process.

You can find the entire process here

Information on the Go!

The new year brings a lot of new faces. Help your new team members by updating your agency’s contact information. The Program Partner UpdateForm allows you to change/update staff contacts and shoppers.

Before using a copy of a copy of a copy, check out this section of our website with the most recent forms for your team to use for everything from Temperature Logs to the At No Cost Poster.

Truck Route Rescheduling Process:

Warehouse/Road Closures and Dangerous Weather Conditions

Keep your phone number and email updated for alerts about delivery rescheduling, cancelling, and time delays. You will recieve:

An email letting your team know if your truck is being cancelled or delayed at 7:00 a.m.
Phone calls will be made after 8:00 a.m.
Notification about reschedules will be made as soon as the weather permits and per the overall truck schedule, as communicated by the Logistics Manager.

Please ensure that the necessary accommodations are in place for volunteers and clients to remain safe and warm while attending a distribution.

The "Hard Seven"

No, it’s not a heavy metal rock band or even a team of super heroes. The Hard Seven represent the primary items of focus for the National Produce Program due in part to their relative high durability, availability, and nutritional value. The “Hard Seven” (i.e. apples, cabbage, carrots, onions, potatoes, sweet potatoes, and seasonal produce) will last longer than other produce like berries and tomatoes.

These are included in the recommended storage guide that can be found on our Partner Resource page. It is located here:

Produce Storage Guide.

To Eat or Not To Eat? Do You Even Have to Ask?

Above is the Fit for Human Consumption rule that is used to determine which donated produce is okay to eat and which is not. It is not news that the produce donated to Food Bank of Wyoming is provided by vendors at the end of its freshness (when they can no longer charge full retail). Even some purchased items arrive needing a quick turnaround. We work very hard to make certain that you get the best items that we have available. Our team checks the wrapped pallets as they come in, while they're in storage, and when they're placed on the truck for delivery. Even with all this, you might find that some items have turned before you unpack them.

Can you spot the food that may be destined for the dumpster? Take the quiz.

Survey Reminder!

If you haven’t completed the NourishedRx survey on behalf of DFS on Wyoming's food system please do so by February 9, 2024.

Click here: Wyoming Food Pantry Capacity Survey

Your input will help enhance the food distribution system in Wyoming and reduce hunger throughout the state. In exchange for your time and expertise, you will receive a $25 gift card following the completion of the survey from NourishedRx.

We are looking for Wyoming residents who are passionate about supporting our neighbors experiencing food insecurity. Do good with good people! If this sounds like the way you would like to spend your day, checkus out!

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

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