Local beef plays an important role in weekend backpack programs

“The kids love them! I’ve heard that the beef sticks are the first things the kids look for in the weekend bags.” Deb Kelly, NW Regional Director for the Wyoming Hunger Initiative is referring to the beef sticks that are provided to local weekend backpack programs. The backpacks provide food on Fridays for students that may not have enough to eat on the weekends. The beef sticks provide growing kids protein. 

The beef for the sticks is donated by Wyoming beef growing ranches including some throughout the Big Horn Basin.  The Beef for Backpacks program started in 2023 when the Hunger Initiative partnered with the Wyoming Stock Growers Association, Wyoming Beef Council and 307 Meat Company. 

One beef yields 2880 beef snack packages that serve 80 kids for 36 weeks. In the 2024-25 school year, the number of beefs needed for kids in the Big Horn Basin was 5.5.

In the next few weeks, volunteers will be taking a load of beef to Laramie for processing.  307 Meat Company continues to do all the processing for donated beef. 

Local beef feeding local kids has a special ring to it. Your beef will play an important role in feeding our youth. To donate beef or learn more about the Beef for Backpacks please call Debbie at 307-899-9781.  You can also learn more about it at https://www.nohungerwyo.org/backpacks. Thank you for your consideration in being a part of this program.