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Moorcroft Interfaith Community: food pantry expands into Weston County as demand rises; leaders seek grants and space
Summary
Volunteers from the Moorcroft Interfaith Community told commissioners they now serve large numbers of Weston County households, spend roughly $10,000–$12,000 a month on food, and are planning a 100x42 ft building to move operations indoors and add refrigerated storage.
Representatives of the Moorcroft Interfaith Community food pantry described a rapid increase in demand from Weston County residents at the May 20 Weston County Commission meeting and asked commissioners to note needs and help identify grant opportunities and local partnerships.
Marty Reichenborough, identified himself as with the Moorcroft Interfaith Community and gave the presentation. He said the pantry began as an emergency‑preparedness group for parts of Crook and Campbell counties but shifted to a food pantry role after the regional food bank reduced mobile pantry visits. Reichenborough said the pantry now serves 250–300 households at each pantry distribution and operates two pantries per month. He told commissioners "Weston County is 50% of the food boxes that we serve" and said the pantry is routinely delivering 20–30 new Weston County households to each distribution.
Reichenborough said the pantry spends about $10,000–$12,000 a month to purchase food from the Food Bank of Wyoming and local grocery partners, and that volunteers supplement purchases with donated product. He described a building project on three town lots in Moorcroft: the first phase would be a 100‑by‑42‑foot building to allow indoor staging, covered loading and drive‑through pickup; later phases would add refrigeration and longer‑term storage. The town of Moorcroft has provided three lots for the project, Reichenborough said.
The pantry also runs a "Totes of Hope" summer backpack/snack program for children and delivers boxes and grocery help to schools, police and fire departments. Reichenborough warned of an expected reduction in SNAP program benefits at the federal level, which he said would increase local need. He asked commissioners to share information about possible grants and local resources but said the pantry prefers to avoid most federal grants that restrict use by income thresholds.
Commissioners and attendees asked about logistics; Reichenborough described relationships with the Food Bank of Wyoming and local grocers that provide pallet deals, and noted that the pantry accepts USDA‑processed donated meat and game processed through recognized packing plants. He said volunteers deliver boxes to Upton and Osage distribution points, and described partnerships with local congregations and ranchers who donate beef.
Speakers from the pantry who addressed the commission included Ramsey Blakeman (vice president) and Myrna (volunteer), who joined Reichenborough at the table. Commissioners asked staff to consider grant channels and to note the pantry’s need for space and funding as local demand increases.
The county did not commit funding in the meeting, but commissioners asked staff to keep the pantry’s request in mind during budgeting and to share any known grant opportunities that match the pantry’s needs.
Direct quote from the presentation: "Weston County is 50% of the food boxes that we we serve," — Marty Reichenborough.
What matters: County commissioners received a multi‑county service update showing increased demand from Weston County residents, a monthly budget scale for purchased food, and a near‑term capital plan for a dedicated building that would change how the pantry stores, stages and distributes food. The pantry requested the county’s help locating grants and local partnerships rather than direct, immediate county funding.
