New USDA Grant Funding

Feeding Laramie Valley received $137,485 in grant funding from the Wyoming Department of Health and the Align team for essential support of the Shares program and infrastructure upgrades to our commercial kitchen and food access services. The funding consists of two separate grants, one for $20,570 which provides an emergency boost to the Shares program, which has seen a massive increase in the number of participants—now over 750 unduplicated individuals each week, with 100 additional people signing up each month. The grant funds additional fresh fruits, vegetables, and supplies like bags and gas for our delivery van, which takes weekly servings of produce to those with health and mobility challenges. With the rate of food insecurity once again on the rise in a massive way, this infusion of support is a much-needed stop-gap while we continue to campaign for sustainable solutions to this increased need.

The second grant provides $116,935 of funding for some major facilities makeovers, including a full commercial hood and range system, dishwasher, and accompanying ventilation system for the Feeding Laramie Valley kitchen. These upgrades and improvements will be a huge help to programs like Shares and Kids Out to Lunch and will help the Satanka Food and Community Innovation Hub do more for local food suppliers. But even more exciting are the ways we will be able to expand our ability to support and engage with the community through classes, events, and access to kitchen use for entrepreneurs.

In addition to boosting FLV’s capacity for safe food handling and disease prevention, this grant will help us increase healthy food access. The Mobile Market team is looking forward to much-needed renovations on the bus, including a heating and cooling system and seating for an additional staff member. Moreover, we will be outfitting one of the Feeding Laramie Valley modular buildings for food storage and preparation so that programs like Kids Out to Lunch and Shares distribution can be expanded to new locations in Albany County that would benefit from greater access to healthy foods.

Both of these grants are made possible by the National Initiative to Address COVID-19 Health Disparities Among Populations at High-Risk and Underserved, Including Racial and Ethnic Minority Populations and Rural Communities-2021, which is part of the COVID-19 Health Disparities Grant Program. Stay tuned for updates on FLV’s exciting transformations!