BY JULIE DOCKSTADER HEAPS

Pitching in to help is “who we are in Wyoming,” First Lady Jennie Gordon said during a recent video press conference from Cheyenne.

“I’ve always said, everyone is one emergency from being in need of help,” the wife of Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon said as she announced a statewide hunger initiative task force including a mobile food pantry that will reach several communities this week in the wake of the growing Covid-19 threat and resulting food shortages on grocery store shelves.

According to the Wyoming News Exchange, as of Monday, March 30, the total statewide figure for confirmed Covid-19 cases is now 94. Jackson’s town council issued a “stay-at-home” ordinance that took effect over the weekend.

“I think this is that emergency in this state. We have to help our neighbors as we always do in Wyoming,” the state’s First Lady declared during the March 25 press conference.

The mobile food pantry will be in Star Valley on Thursday, April 2, at the Afton Readiness Center, which is the National Guard facility, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. — however on a first-come, first-served basis, according to Sierra Mitchell of the Afton Food Panty.

“There are limited boxes in the semis,” Mitchell explained. Each family receives one box as they drive up to the center in their vehicles to avoid person-to-person contact. “We will load your vehicle with the box given by the Food Pantry of the Rockies and Mrs. Jennie Gordon.”

To help First Lady Gordon and the Afton Food Pantry get the word out about the mobile pantry, which is under the auspices of the Food Pantry of the Rockies in conjunction with the Wyoming Hunger Initiative Task Force, SVI Media’s Duke Dance spoke with Mitchell this week for the weekly broadcast of SVI’s Weekday Wake-Up.

Calling her an “amazing First Lady,” Mitchell lauded the mobile food bank, which is also scheduled for Worland on March 31, Torrington on April 1, and in Evanston on April 3.

“She is definitely stepping up,” Mitchell said of Gordon, who visited the Afton Food Pantry in January and “saw what we’ve been doing with our county, and she wants to help during this time.”

Speaking by phone with Dance, Mitchell emphasized the gratitude the Afton Food Pantry wanted to express to the community at large for the “outpouring of love and support” in the crisis. “We have one of the most loving and gracious communities for sure. So many people want to do what they can right now. We sincerely appreciate the help and donations that coming in more than ever.”

But just as there is limited food at grocery stores, there is also limited food on pantry shelves, Mitchell explained. “That’s been crazy to watch. We went from a winter average, about 17 people coming. Then a couple weeks ago, we jumped up to 40, and this last Thursday night, 61 different individuals on behalf of their families.

“We went through a whole lot pretty quickly,” Mitchell continued. “What is a worry is we’re not even through the harder part of the Covid-19, and our numbers are limited [on inventory].”

Mitchell related that in three weeks, if the trend continues, “the pantry will be out of food. And I mean the main items we give out every week we will not have on our shelves if the donations do not come.”

Continuing, Mitchell emphasized to SVI Media that they “totally understand that people are a little nervous right now and looking out for their own families and limited in their stock. If you can give, she said, here are the top items needed:

• “Grocery store bags. We went through 500 plastic grocery sacks Thursday night.
• “Canned meat. We mean [like] canned chicken. We give that out every week.
• “Cereal is a big one. My kids are having that for breakfast, lunch and dinner right now,” Mitchell added, chuckling.
• “Pasta, a top item that we go through, spaghetti in particular. Any form of pasta.
• “Maybe Hamburger Help, where we could give them canned tuna for a form of protein.
• “Canned fruit. We have never in four years been out of canned fruit, and it will happen next week.
• “Canned veggies and any form of soup.”

Mitchell explained to Dance the economics of monetary donations. Usually, for every dollar donated, the food bank can purchase up to $10 worth of groceries. This happens through the partnership the Afton Food Bank has with the Food Bank of the Rockies, which relies on food donations from grocery stores and then sells cheaply to other local food banks to fund operations. However, with local grocery stores low on inventory, it’s more difficult for that transaction to occur. So while she emphasized that monetary donations are still gratefully accepted, “we’re looking for those exact cans of food for now” to continue helping local people in need.

Continuing, Mitchell said the Afton Food Bank wants to continue helping everyone they can, even as all food banks face the same conditions, and as the Thayne Food Bank is temporarily closed. No one will be turned away, she emphasized. “We are here to help. The community will support us. We don’t want anyone to struggle at this time. If you’re elderly, we will deliver to you. We’ll drop it on your doorstep” to avoid person-to-person contact.

Mitchell said to call 307-887-FOOD for anyone needing help.

To facilitate donations and help, she said they’re attempting a non-contact food drive for Saturday morning, April 4, at the Afton and Thayne Food Pantries from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. or Monday through Wednesday, April 6-8, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.

“We’ll leave the garage door open, and you can set bags in. I’ll be there to thank you but keep a distance,” Mitchell added.

“We’re going to ask that you rally around during this time,” she added, and said there will be upcoming announcements and fliers locally and via SVI Media and online sources.

During the March 25 press conference, First Lady Gordon said to facilitate such local needs, the task force is represented by representatives from non-profits and school districts “who are working to keep people fed in Wyoming” by working with pantries to facilitate donations and supplies.

“We want to create a clearing house of resources so my office launched a new Web page off the Wyoming Hunger Initiative Website to serve as a one-stop-shop for resources in every county in Wyoming. The site is nohungerwyo.org.

“We encourage you to check your county site to see if there is anything we might have missed. We will be updating that as the information comes in on a regular basis.”

In addition, the First Lady said all 40 Wyoming school districts are providing a school lunch program at multiple sites. “I’m proud of the Wyoming Department of Education and the Nutrition Services Department for getting that up so quickly.”

She added that the Wyoming Department of Health Aging Division is working with local entities to assess the physical and emotional needs of elderly residents.

First Lady Gordon added: “Check on someone who lives down the block who might be an elderly person. Buy only what you need in the stores, and roll up your sleeves.”