Wyoming Hunger Initiative Spins Off As Standalone Nonprofit — And It’s Built To Last

The Wyoming Hunger Initiative, launched in 2019 by First Lady Jennie Gordon, is striking out on its own. After years operating under the Wyoming Governor’s Residence Foundation, the effort has officially become an independent 501(c)(3), a shift finalized Sept. 30 that ensures the work won’t sunset when Gov. Mark Gordon’s second term ends in 2027.

Going solo gives the organization more room to grow, move faster and build new partnerships statewide and beyond. That flexibility comes at a critical moment: Food Bank of Wyoming estimates one in five children and one in seven adults faced food insecurity in 2024. Since its start, WHI has acted as a hub for anti-hunger groups in every county and across all Wyoming tribes, steering millions of dollars to ranchers and producers, backpack programs, food pantries and other frontline organizations.

“From the beginning, Wyoming Hunger Initiative has been about empowering communities to fight food insecurity in ways that are local, lasting, and uniquely Wyoming,” Jennie Gordon said, adding that she’s proud of the foundation built and confident the team can carry the mission forward with “strength and vision.”

That continuity matters on the ground. In Cheyenne, COMEA House and Resource Center director Robin Bocanegra welcomed the news, saying the transition means partnerships can outlive any administration. Her organization has used WHI grants — including part of a $152,000 statewide round in August — to replace equipment and refill pantry shelves. Laramie County Senior Services credits WHI with helping the new senior center buy an ice machine and with connecting it to leftover food after Frontier Days, support Executive Director Katie Brady called “very, very helpful.”

The initiative’s fundraising engine is already humming on its own. Dollars from the annual Hearts for Hunger drive — nearly $20,000 last cycle — and the Hunger Champions Circle helped fuel recent grants. WHI also leans into immediate needs, backing “Angel Accounts” that clear school meal debt. In late 2023, WHI and 16 local businesses handed Laramie County School District 1 a $7,031.29 check to wipe out its rising tab, more than doubling the prior year’s effort. It echoed a statewide push in 2021 that paid off $136,000 in meal debt for 3,224 children.

Born under a foundation created in 1989 to support the Governor’s Residence and first spouse projects, the initiative now stands on its own legs — and by design, will keep standing long after term limits. As Gordon put it, food is the foundation for everything else: health, learning, even landing a job. With nonprofit status in hand, WHI’s goal is simple and stubbornly practical — make sure Wyoming neighbors have the consistent, nourishing meals they need to thrive.

The original story by Noah Zahn for Wyoming Tribune Eagle