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The WSSA at each conference looks to leave behind a positive impact on the local community.  The Food Bank of the Rockies is the 2022 “Give Back” recipient.  Their innovative “Culturally Responsive Food Initiative” along with their other programs supports WSSA values of inclusion, respect, diversity, equity, and support for Native Scholars and communities.

Hunger impacts 1 out of 8 people in the Rocky Mountain Region. To combat  this widespread crisis, Food Bank of the Rockies (1978), a Feeding America partner, has been distributing over

1.5

million

meals per week. To achieve this massive impact, they coordinate with more than 800 Hunger Relief Partners throughout Colorado and Wyoming, with 96 cents of every dollar donated going directly to distribution. Food Bank of the Rockies acts as a distribution hub for food, essentials, and logistical

resources, serving 30 counties in Colorado, including the entire Western Slope, and all of Wyoming. This makes them the largest hunger-relief organization in the region! They operate their own direct programs, including over 70 Mobile Pantry sites, which bring food and necessities where they are most needed. The Food for Kids Programs provides fresh and nutritious foods through the after-school and summer programs Totes of Hope. Proper nutrition is a critical component of educational attainment and represents a great investment in the future! In addition, there are home-delivery services available for older adults. Finally, Food Bank of the Rockies launched the Culturally Responsive Food Initiative in 2020, which aims to overcome barriers of access by clients of diverse cultural backgrounds. These barriers include culturally specific food preferences, linguistic barriers, and lack of cultural awareness.  To address this, they developed food lists based  on the preferences of the seven most prevalent cultures in their service areas (Eastern Shoshone, Ethiopian, Hispanic, Northern Arapaho, Russian, Somali, and Vietnamese) and shifted their food sourcing to include preferred foods.