Wyoming VFW Post Collects Goods for Food Insecure Veterans

A VFW Post in the Equality State late last year provided much-needed aid to the military community. Post members have been fighting food insecurity, which is a widespread issue among veterans and military families.

VFW Post 11453 in Cheyenne, Wyoming, and others in the community gathered a total of 12,061 pounds of food for the city’s Veterans’ Rock Thrift Store, which has a food pantry. Post members also congregate at Veterans’ Rock for their monthly meetings.

Since October, Post 11453 has supported the Veterans’ Rock Food Bank through food drive events. Post members volunteered for Veterans’ Rock’s 2021 Thanksgiving drive, and the event garnered about 5,500 pounds of donated food. Soon after, Post members volunteered for the Remembering Our Veterans on Pearl Harbor Day Food Drive in December, which brought in 5,690 pounds of donations. The remaining 871 pounds of food came from other entities in the city.

VFW Post 11453 Commander Justin Tripp said Veterans’ Rock was created because of the need to assist veterans in Wyoming.

“We at the Post helps them with whatever they need,” said Tripp, who served in the Navy. “We do it because a lot of veterans, unfortunately, need a lot of assistance. Volunteer organizations are needed to help veterans and their families with basic needs, such as food.”

The Post’s efforts align with VFW and Humana’s mission to stop food insecurity through the Uniting to Combat Hunger program. For its work, the Post received a $500 grant through the VFW Foundation for its work.

As part of their mission, Post 11453 members built a “Little Free Pantry” outside of the Veterans’ Rock store. It allows those who need food to obtain it after Veterans’ Rock operating hours.

“The VFW is a very charitable organization,” Tripp said. “We want to continue serving by helping our communities and especially the veterans’ community.”