The Signs of Spring in Wyoming
Have you seen those hopeful perennials popping up? Or the bulbs peeking through the snow? Melting snow and daytime temperatures are calling us outside. We have finally made it through the blizzards of a Wyoming winter; now, spring has sprung!
Breathing in the earthy scent of May leads us to dream of all the opportunities that will come with spring and summer in our communities. Look up and see the tiny buds emerging on treetops and branches. It’s a hopeful sign of things to come. It’s planting season in Wyoming and we all are looking forward to once more enoying fresh produce from local and regional growers.
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The Truth About Expiration Dates |
The food dates or "expiration dates" we're so familiar with are actually not indicators of food safety at all — they are simply the manufacturer's suggestion as to when their product is at its best quality. In fact, the USDA states on its website that, except for infant formula, product dating is not required by federal regulations. Below are the definitions from the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) and Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) to help understand what each printed date means.
- Best If Used By/Before: This quality assurance date serves as a suggestion for when the taste and quality of food are at their peak. It is not a safety date.
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Use By: This is the suggested date by which the food should be consumed. If food is a day or two past the use-by date, evaluate the quality of the food before consuming it. It is not a safety date except when used on infant formula.
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Sell By: This is not a safety date but rather a date for retailers that helps them determine how long an item should remain on the shelf. According to the IFT, "one-third of a food's shelf-life remains after the sell-by date for the consumer to use at home."
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Freeze By: According to the USDA, this date indicates when a product should be frozen to maintain peak quality. It is not a purchase or safety date.
Please download and post this flyer and share it with your clients as needed. |
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Dates of Interest May 4 & 5 – Food Bank of Wyoming is closed for training May 13 – Stamp Out Hunger (NALC National Food Drive) May 29 – Memorial Day; Food Bank of Wyoming is closed End of June – Food Bank of Wyoming's end of fiscal year inventory
July 1 – Beginning of Fiscal Year 2024 July 4 – Independence Day; Food Bank of Wyoming is closed |
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Agency Express Update
To ensure the most up-to-date inventory and fresh delivery to our Partners, Food Bank of Wyoming has shortened our shopping window in Agency Express to 10 business days prior to your delivery. We did this in response to your feedback, as it reduces the time elapsed from order, to pick, to delivery, and finally to Wyoming neighbors. We’re focused on what matters most to you — innovation to provide fresher products and fewer zeroed-out items.
Our HelpDesk team’s shared best practice is to check the order deadline for your delivery/pick-up date and make certain to submit your order by 2:00 p.m. the day prior to that deadline. (This is especially important if you have more than one delivery/pick-up date a month.) If you have any questions, please contact helpdesk@wyomingfoodbank.org |
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Laramie Soup Kitchen: More than Just Food
Since 1983, the Laramie Soup Kitchen has served people in need of a hot meal. But it wasn’t until 1988 that it found a more permanent home in downtown Laramie’s St. Matthew’s Episcopal Cathedral. This is a place where all are welcome to enjoy meals at no cost in a friendly and safe environment. These meals are nutritious and hot, and provide more than just food on a plate. Each meal is served with a side of community and access to other resources to help guests find support for all of their needs.
The Laramie Soup Kitchen is staffed by three full-time staff, five kitchen assistants, two food recovery employees, and numerous volunteers. Hot meals are served Monday through Friday, from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. The long lunch period is maintained in the hope of providing ample opportunity for guests to stop in. Guests can get meals to take home for their families, neighbors, and friends, or just as an extra meal for the evening or the weekend. These meals include a hot option as well as the choices of salad, fruits, desserts, extras, and beverages. During 2022, the Laramie Soup Kitchen averaged 122 people served each day.
“Food Bank of Wyoming has been a great partner for years, especially during the pandemic, providing access to quality options, grant funding for purchases, and support when needed in the community,” shared Ted Cramer, Executive Director of The Laramie Soup Kitchen. “The supplemental food that the Soup Kitchen has been able to purchase through Food Bank of Wyoming helps keep food costs low, the pantry stocked, and diverse menus available throughout the year.”
The Soup Kitchen is supported primarily by the local community, with nearly 90% of funding coming from individual donors and local businesses. Food donations come primarily from food recovery in the community, local retailers, and members of the community stopping by and dropping something off. |
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| Warm Weather Reminder As the weather warms, Food Bank of Wyoming reminds everyone that we require anyone entering the warehouse to wear closed-toed shoes. |
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Connor is a second grader in Laramie, Wyoming, and usually picks up a Totes of Hope™ bag each Friday afternoon before catching the bus to go home.
“He really enjoys the snacks he gets out of it,” said Connor’s mom, Tiffany, adding that they often use all the food in the tote to help feed the whole family throughout the weekend.
Totes of Hope™ contain upwards of seven pounds of nourishing food and a recipe using bag contents. They are designed to help provide nutrition to kids and families when school is out of session. |
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Info on the Go – MyPlate Plan Widget A nutritious eating plan is important for every Wyomingite. Food Bank of Wyoming wants to share a great tool for your clients: MyPlate Plan. It’s simple and FREE! It’s important to eat a variety of fruits, vegetables, grains, protein foods, and dairy or fortified soy alternatives. When deciding what to eat or drink, choose options that are full of nutrients. Make every bite count.
The benefits of nutritious eating add up over time, bite by bite. Small changes matter. Help your clients start simple with MyPlate Plan Widget. Resource: Download the Start Simple with MyPlate mini-poster in English or Spanish. |
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AmeriCorps Recruitment for Summer Service
National Service making a Wyoming impact.
Want to do good with good people? Serving at Food Bank of Wyoming you will help to ignite the power of community to nourish Wyomingites facing hunger. If this sounds like the way you would like to spend your day, join our AmeriCorps Members’ Service Opportunity this summer!
Food Bank of Wyoming is proud to partner with ServeWyoming and AmeriCorps to recruit Casper residents who are passionate about making an impact to serve Wyomingites. Are you or do you know someone passionate about serving Wyomingites experiencing food insecurity? The AmeriCorps program was designed to serve others and meet the critical needs of a community. Our summer service opportunity is a three-month commitment that includes a stipend and education award.
Requirements: Applicants must meet the following minimum criteria: ✔ Available for the entire duration of the program ✔ 18 years old or older by program start date ✔ U.S. Citizen or Permanent Resident
✔ Commitment to serving the community!
June through August positions require a 15-30 hours a week commitment. Learn more by contacting us at: HelpDesk@WyomingFoodBank.org |
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Please give our new Freezer/Cooler Distributions Specialist, Alex Stoops, a “warm” round of applause!
At the early age of 3, Alex moved with her family to Wyoming to live in Casper. Alex loves the cold and snow, which make her a perfect match for this position, but that’s not what attracted her to it. Alex was looking for an opportunity to build a career and saw the work Food Bank of Wyoming does as just such an opportunity. Alex is happiest when building things and using her power tools. She’s almost completed a DIY wheel chair for her 14-year-old shepherd mix who is having hip issues and who needs to keep up with his 13-year-old shih tzu buddy. |
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Another passion of Alex’s is growing vegetables. she can’t grow her favorite fruit, rambutan.
Instead, she buys it by the caseload when she can at the Mile High Flea Market. Some rambutan tips:
- Freeze them with the skins on until you are ready to thaw and eat them. - Peel them after they thaw.
- Do not eat the poisonous pit! So, if you don’t find Alex in the freezer, she may be on her break, snacking on a rambutan. |
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Partner Resource Page Review |
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You have all probably spent some time on Food Bank of Wyoming’s Partner Portal, especially if you are one of your agency’s shoppers.
But did you know that there is a plethora of information available in the Partner Resources “briefcase”? |
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This institution is an equal opportunity provider. |
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Our Contact Information *{{Organization Name}}* *{{Organization Address}}* *{{Organization Phone}}* *{{Organization Website}}* *{{Unsubscribe}}*
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