FEEDING LARAMIE VALLEY has been awarded two separate grants totaling $137,485 for Basic Needs and Infrastructure from the National Initiative to Address COVID-19 Health Disparities Among Populations at High-Risk and Underserved, Including Racial and Ethnic Minority Populations and Rural Communities-2021, which is part of the COVID-19 Health Disparities Grant Program.

Wyoming has dedicated $8.1 million of federal funding to help eligible entities build up the health care infrastructure and address historical inequities in their communities. The funding is part of Wyoming’s $38.8 million allocation from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for its COVID-19 Health Disparities Grant. The Align Team manages the portion of the COVID-19 Health Disparities Grant for the Wyoming Department of Health.

FEEDING LARAMIE VALLEY has applied the $20,570 reimbursable Basic Needs grant funds to providing additional food and supplies for the Shares program, which distributes fresh produce free of charge to those who need immediate food assistance in Albany County. The program saw a dramatic increase in participants this year—now over 750 unduplicated individuals each week, with over 100 additional people joining each month—in the wake of the biggest single-year leap in the rate of food insecurity since 2008, now 15.3% of the population in Albany County. As an integral part of meeting this pressing need, in order to help with public health as COVID-19 continues to circulate, the Shares program offers deliveries to those with health and mobility challenges.

The $116,935 Infrastructure Grant will be used to remodel and upgrade the kitchen facilities at Feeding Laramie Valley (FLV) in the historical Fort Sanders building and to make some much-needed modifications to the Mobile Market bus. Kitchen updates will include a full commercial-grade hood and range, commercial dishwasher, and electrical and ventilation system upgrades. In addition to improving sanitation and ventilation to guard against transmission of diseases like COVID-19 in existing programs such as Shares and Kids Out to Lunch, these changes will enable Feeding Laramie Valley to enter the next phase of its plans for boosting the local food economy in Albany County. FLV launched the Satanka Food and Community Innovation Hub this August in partnership with Ivinson Memorial Hospital by helping the local 9H Ranch transport beef to the Mountain View Cafe using FLV’s refrigerated vehicle. To expand this program, FLV plans to make its upgraded commercial kitchen facilities available to local food producers for preparing their products for market in a health-and-safety-compliant facility.

The Infrastructure Grant will also fund the renovation of an existing modular building for commercial food service, which will make it possible to get more healthy food to more locations in Albany County while maintaining the highest health standards. For example, the Kids Out to Lunch program currently serves over 3,000 children free meals each summer at LaBonte Park in Laramie. The grant will enable expansion to an additional site in West Laramie, to ensure that children throughout town have access to healthy food when school is not in session, in addition to expanding access for the Shares program. Feeding Laramie Valley is excited to bring these new capacities for food safety, access, and sustainability to Albany County!

To learn more about the COVID-19 Health Disparity Grant Program, please visit https://thealignteam.force.com/fundingprograms/s/