Food boxes to be distributed

Alexis Barker
NLJ News Editor
 
A total of 400 food boxes will be available on June 6 when the Wyoming Food Bank of the Rockies comes to Newcastle.  
 “I’m just so glad we were able to arrange to have good nutritious food provided for Weston County families,” said public health nurse Lori Bickford  about the mobile food pantry coming to town. “No one should go hungry or worry about where they will get their next meal.”
According to Bickford, the food boxes will be distributed at the Weston County Fairgrounds from 1 to 3 p.m. on June 6. She noted that people should enter the fairgrounds via Fairgrounds Road.
“This will be a no contact event. Participants will be required to stay in their vehicles,” Bickford said. “Volunteers will fill out the necessary forms, as well as place the boxes in the trunk of the cars or the back of the pickup truck.” 
In order to control traffic and lessen confusion, each vehicle may have a representative for two families to pick up the boxes.
“One of the two representatives may be a proxy for someone who is unable to pick up their own food box,” Bickford said. She explained that this means that only one individual can pick up an extra box, but information will be required. 
There is a form, according to Bickford, that will need to be completed by all families, even for those pickups by proxy, that asks for information such as name, address, city and county. 
“We want to make sure they are from Weston County,” Bickford said. 
All information collected will be for the Wyoming Food Bank of the Rockies. The organization must have 400 names attached to those 400 boxes of food.
Bickford said that she wanted to make clear that there will be no judgment or questions asked beyond the required basic information. 
“Anyone is welcome. No questions will be asked, and there will be no judgment. We want to see 400 families be fed. We want people to come,” Bickford said. “We hope the people in Weston County will take advantage of this opportunity. We have 400 food boxes to distribute. We want every one of those boxes to go home with someone and make sure nothing is left behind.” 
The stop in Newcastle is part of the mobile pantry response to help alleviate food insecurity brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a May 30 press release from the Wyoming Food Bank of the Rockies. 
“Wyoming knows about leaning in. When faced with strong headwind, we lean in to get to where we are going. During this coronavirus crisis, as with other emergencies, WFBR continues its operations despite adverse conditions,” the release says. “While disaster preparedness has always been a part of
our operational plan, we have had to develop many of our processes. As a trusted state-wide organization, WFBR is committed to serving all Wyomingites in need, despite the isolation and the remote locations.”
The organization and its 175 partners, vow that they are here to help Wyoming families access the most basic need – food – and are increasing their food distribution across the state. 
“In the month of April, over 1.8 million pounds of food were distributed across the state of Wyoming by Wyoming Food Bank of the Rockies,” the release says. “While restrictions are lifting and businesses work to get open, the effects of the COVID-19 crisis are still with us.”
In response to the virus’ restrictions, the mobile pantry operations were developed and involve pre-packaged food being distributed to the public in a drive through operation.  
“Anyone affected by the COVID-19 crisis is welcomed, and encouraged, to utilize any of the mobile pantries. Each household will receive a box of shelf-stable items, a bag of fresh produce, and a bag of protein products,” the release says.
The organization does ask that people coming to the mobile pantry have a spot cleared and designated in their vehicle. The event is expected to last just two hours, so the process should be quick, Bickford said.