CHEYENNE — At the loading entrance to Needs Inc., a truck loaded with 40,000 pounds of shelf-stable food arrived Wednesday morning.
A group of missionaries from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, eagerly waiting for the truck’s arrival, formed an assembly line to unload the boxes of donated goods.
A short time earlier, representatives of America250, the Mormon church and local hunger relief nonprofits gathered in front of the Wyoming State Capitol to mark the first Wyoming delivery in America250’s newly launched service initiative, America Gives, partnered with the church’s “JustServe” service platform.
The “250” in the name is a call for communities across the country to commemorate America’s 250th anniversary through acts of service — to not just look at the past, but to seek or create meaningful opportunities that will strengthen the community’s future.
The truck is just one of six that will travel to different locations in Wyoming, and one of 250 total that will travel to all 50 states, bringing donated food to local organizations dedicated to preventing people from going to bed hungry.
The four local nonprofits involved in this project include Needs Inc., St. Joseph’s Food Pantry, Meals on Wheels of Cheyenne and The Salvation Army Cheyenne Corps. They will work collectively to equally distribute the donated goods to recipients.
“As members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we serve alongside them by helping out in our communities,” said Thad Brown, the regional church area director, during his brief remarks in front of the Capitol. “This food that we’re providing, 70% of it was grown on the church farms, and most of it was harvested by volunteer hours. It’s all about lifting. It’s the Christian way, it’s the cowboy way.”
Also in attendance was Brett Christiansen, president of the newly formed Wyoming Cheyenne Mission of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He said he oversees about 150 young missionaries who have come from across the state and beyond to serve the people of Wyoming.
Since moving here, Christiansen said he has been amazed by the Wyoming community and the way “they lift and they give, and serve … the way you show your love to God is you serve others. And that is what I see all around me.”
One truck contains enough food to provide 33,000 meals to residents. However, Kristen-Aaron Balderas, executive director of Needs Inc., revealed a heartbreaking truth: this food will only last local families a week.
Bailey Monk of St. Joseph’s, Stephanie Freeman of Meals on Wheels and Capt. Jacob Bratton of The Salvation Army all let out a collective “hmm” and nodded in agreement.
“We know that access to food and clothing, basic essentials like that, that is not something that needs to be earned by any human, that is a basic human right,” said Balderas. “And knowing that so many of our neighbors go to bed with empty tummies at night, that is not acceptable.”
She went on to discuss how these local nonprofits can’t rely on the same support systems they once had.
Grants are not guaranteed. They can’t survive only on what they get from their “Super Bowl” seasons — the holidays. There are times when they get lucky; for example, when Walmart messes up a shipment and gives them the food to fill their own trucks before it goes to waste. But that’s just it … luck.
“We’re at the mercy of whatever is happening,” she said.
The four organizations collectively agreed that they do more reaching out than getting approached by volunteers.
There are people who can “afford food, but not contribute,” said Balderas. That’s why these nonprofits are so grateful for church and workplace programs that encourage — and, for the latter, sometimes require — people to become part of a support system that helps this community thrive.
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