Wyoming’s first lady, Jennie Gordon, was in Powell Thursday to see firsthand some of the food programs supported by her office.
Gordon has always been active in food initiatives. She said she and her nine siblings were raised by parents who grew up in poverty, with her mother raised in Austria before and during World War II. The family learned not to waste anything and be grateful for everything they had.
When Gordon had the chance as first lady to promote a cause, ending food insecurity — specifically childhood hunger — was her choice. She launched the Wyoming Hunger Initiative in 2019.
According to the initiative, roughly 71,000 Wyoming residents face food insecurity each year, being occasionally or frequently unable to get enough healthy, nutritious food. As part of its anti-hunger efforts, the initiative supports numerous organizations around the state.
“We want to work with partners on the ground,” Gordon said. “We want to network, learn best practices and share resources.”
Powell Valley Loaves and Fishes and Backpack Blessings are among the organizations the initiative has supported .
