In 2023, Food Bank of Wyoming launched its FRESH Express Program to improve access to fresh, nutritious produce among neighbors experiencing food insecurity. Since then, the Program has enabled Food Bank of Wyoming to increase delivery frequency to Hunger Relief Partners throughout the state. With nearly one million pounds of fresh produce delivered in 2025, the Program has proven essential in efforts to meet the hunger needs of communities across Wyoming.
“We are very excited to share that for calendar year 2025 (Jan-Dec), our Fresh Express Program distributed 925,740 pounds of fresh produce to our Wyoming neighbors,” says Food Bank of Wyoming Operations Director Richard Plumlee. “With the last phase of route expansion to be completed in 2026, we are optimistic that we will distribute over 1 million pounds this coming year through this program alone.”
Food Bank of Wyoming attributes much of the program’s success to its ability to source sufficient produce from local farmers and growers in Wyoming and Colorado. One such partnership with Hoffman Farms, a small, family-owned farm in Greeley, Colorado, has added to their fresh food purchasing strategy.
For nearly two years, Hoffman Farms has provided Food Bank of Wyoming with outstanding, high-quality produce that has been distributed to Hunger Relief Partners throughout Wyoming. As a produce partner, Hoffman Farms has supported Food Bank of Wyoming by providing produce in tight situations and fulfilling last-minute orders when necessary, which has enabled Food Bank to meet the needs of Hunger Relief Partners and the communities it helps feed.
“This is why our collaborations and partnerships with local farmers and growers are so important and impactful. The folks at Hoffman Farms always go the extra mile, and we truly appreciate their continued partnership and support,” says Plumlee. “It really is a win-win situation for all involved. Purchasing from our local farmers and growers has the added benefit of infusing money back into our local communities and acts as an investment toward their continued success and sustainability.”
Food Bank of Wyoming’s Food Sourcing Manager, Odessa Oldham, has worked tirelessly alongside Plumlee and the FRESH Express Program to build and foster relationships with numerous growers and producers in Wyoming and neighboring states. As a result, Food Bank of Wyoming has cultivated relationships that have allowed the organization to distribute fresh produce to areas it had not previously reached.
“This year, Odessa is eager to continue cultivating more relationships with local producers in Wyoming to build and support the FRESH Express program,” adds Plumlee. “But that’s not all we have planned for the Program in 2026.”
At the end of 2025, Food Bank of Wyoming added two new routes to the FRESH Express program, officially expanding the program’s reach to all 23 Wyoming counties. By devoting significant resources, working collaboratively with partners, and increasing internal capacities, Food Bank of Wyoming aims to strengthen the current Program and partnerships locally and throughout the region.
