March is National Nutrition Month, a time to focus on making nutritious food choices and understanding the importance of a balanced diet. A key part of maintaining good health is being mindful of what we eat, particularly with regard to sodium and sugar intake. By making informed food choices and developing healthful eating and physical activity habits, we can improve our overall well-being.

Many processed and packaged foods are high in sodium and added sugars, which can contribute to health problems like high blood pressure, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes. When neighbors visit your food pantry, encourage them to check nutrition labels and look for options with lower sodium and sugar. Choosing nutrient-rich foods is a great way to support better health.

MyPlate offers an easy guide for building balanced meals. It suggests filling half your plate with fruits and vegetables, providing essential vitamins, minerals, and fiber; a quarter of the plate with lean proteins like chicken, beans, or fish, which support muscle and tissue health; and the remaining final quarter with whole grains like brown rice or whole-wheat bread, which provide fiber and energy. Don’t forget to include a serving of dairy or dairy alternatives for calcium and stay hydrated with water throughout the day!

This National Nutrition Month, help your neighbors make informed food choices by encouraging them to check labels and choose options like fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains. Small changes can lead to big improvements in their health!

 Important Dates

  March 9           Daylight Savings Time

Food Bank of Wyoming has finalized the delivery routes for March-December 2025. These have been emailed to you and your organization from a member of our Programs team, so please be on the lookout for them!

Also, you will be able to find the updated schedules here on our website. If you have any questions or did not receive a copy of your route schedule, please email the HelpDesk so they can assist you!

Food Bank of Wyoming has some exciting news! Starting in March, the transition to paperless receipts will begin for all partner deliveries around the state. While each organization will still receive a paper receipt along with a digital one in March, everything should be fully switched to paperless receipts in April. We will make the change in our Fresh Food Center for pick-up partners in the near future.

If you have any questions about this new process, feel free to reach out to the HelpDesk. Our team is excited about this change and we appreciate your cooperation as we transition to a more efficient and environmentally friendly system!

A food recall occurs when a producer or manufacturer removes a product from the market due to concerns that it may pose a health risk to consumers. This can happen if the product is contaminated with harmful bacteria (e.g., Salmonella, E. coli), contains foreign objects like glass or metal, or has undeclared allergens that could trigger allergic reactions in individuals with sensitivities. Recalls may be initiated voluntarily by the company or at the request of government agencies, such as the FDA or USDA, when a serious safety issue is identified.

The goal of a food recall is to quickly remove the hazardous product from the marketplace to prevent potential illness or injury. Consumers are typically advised to stop consuming the product, return it for a refund, or dispose of it according to the recall instructions.

When Food Bank of Wyoming is notified of a recall, our Programs team works to contact any partners who may have received the affected product to ensure proper disposal. These partners then reach out to any neighbors who might have received the product to inform them about the recall and ensure their safety.

Partner Spotlight: Council of Community Services

The Council of Community Services, founded in 1968, is a vital nonprofit organization committed to alleviating poverty in Campbell County. They focus on addressing homelessness, hunger, and community needs through a variety of programs that support individuals and families in need.

Fighting Hunger: The food pantry serves about 400 households each month, providing supplemental groceries through partnerships with Food Bank of Wyoming and Feeding America. It is open Monday to Friday, 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. The soup kitchen offers a free, warm meal daily at noon, providing a safe and respectful space for all. Each year, Christmas food baskets are distributed to over 600 families, ensuring they can enjoy a holiday meal.

Fighting Homelessness: The 24/7 homeless shelter provides a safe haven for individuals and families. It also offers supportive permanent housing programs to help individuals and families regain stability. For just $25 a day, the Council of Community Services provides shelter, meals, and hot showers to people, offering a cost-effective alternative to homelessness.

Community Assistance: Seconds on the Avenue is a thrift store and emergency closet that provides clothing, linens, and household items to people in need. The Weatherization Assistance Program helps improve energy efficiency for families facing heating crises. Lastly, emergency assistance if provided for critical needs like medications and dental work and referrals are given to connect individuals with additional resources.

Through the dedication of volunteers, community support, and partnership with Food Bank of Wyoming, Council of Community Services continues to help our neighbors in need and work toward lasting solutions for a healthier, stronger community.

Food Bank of Wyoming offers a valuable produce storage guide on our website, providing partners and volunteers with practical information on how to properly store fruits and vegetables. Proper storage is essential because many produce items are often stored improperly, leading to spoilage and waste.

By following the guide, your team can extend shelf life, retain nutritional value, and preserve taste and texture. Properly storing produce also saves money, minimizes environmental impact, and improves overall service efficiency by educating volunteers on the unique needs of different fruits and vegetables.

The guide also empowers partners to organize storage spaces, maintain optimal conditions, and make the most of each donation, which ultimately contributes to a more sustainable and effective food distribution system.

Did you know that Food Bank of Wyoming’s name and logo were carefully designed to reflect our mission, reach, and vision for our community? Our logo incorporates colors inspired by food — raspberries, eggplant, avocados, and kale — to symbolize growth, nourishment, and our commitment to taking root in the community.

Have you updated your printed materials, website, press releases, and social media to feature our new logo? If not, we encourage you to make the update today! You can download our updated logo here.

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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