August 5, 2025
Food insecurity is rising again in the U.S., affecting 1 in 7 households and hitting rural areas especially hard. In places like Albany County, Wyoming, challenges like long distances to grocery stores, high food prices, and limited access to federal aid make hunger more severe. Behind the statistics are real families—parents skipping meals, students struggling to focus, and seniors making tough choices. Local organizations like Laramie Interfaith play a crucial role by providing food and support services, powered by community donations and volunteers. Combating hunger takes all of us—through giving, raising awareness, and advocating for policies that support food security. Together, we can ensure everyone has enough to eat.
Food insecurity – the lack of consistent access to enough nutritious food – is a pressing and growing crisis in the United States. After decades of decline, hunger is once again on the rise nationwide. In 2023, an estimated 47.4 million Americans lived in households struggling to put food on the table. That equates to about one in seven U.S. households facing food insecurity last year. This hardship is not confined to any one region or demographic; it reaches urban centers and rural towns alike. No community is immune – hunger exists in every county, from bustling cities to quiet country landscapes. The surge in food insecurity has been fueled by economic strains such as high inflation and the rollback of pandemic aid, leaving millions of families choosing between groceries and other basic needs. These sobering statistics, however, only tell part of the story. Behind the numbers are real people – parents skipping meals so their children can eat, seniors on fixed incomes, and students worrying how they’ll afford their next meal. Food insecurity is not just about empty stomachs; it’s about the anxiety and hardship that permeate everyday life when dinner is never a sure thing.
Hunger’s impact goes well beyond rumbling bellies. Food insecurity casts a long shadow over health, development, and the social fabric of communities. Research has documented numerous consequences of inadequate access to food:
Hunger is a nationwide issue, but it doesn’t affect all communities equally. There is a stark urban-rural divide in how food insecurity is experienced. While large cities see high numbers of people needing assistance, rural areas often suffer higher rates of food insecurity and unique challenges in addressing it. In fact, poverty and hunger tend to be more severe in rural communities than in metropolitan areas. Recent data underscores this disparity: by 2023 the food insecurity rate in rural U.S. households had climbed to about 15.4%, significantly above the national average (13.5%). Many of the counties with the worst hunger problems are rural; an analysis found that 9 out of 10 U.S. counties with the highest food insecurity rates are rural communities. Similarly, 84% of counties with the highest child hunger rates are rural areas. These figures highlight that small towns and countryside communities, despite their tight-knit nature, are bearing a disproportionate share of America’s hunger crisis.
Why is rural hunger so prevalent? Part of the answer lies in structural challenges. Many rural regions are “food deserts” – places with no nearby grocery store or supermarket, forcing residents to travel long distances or rely on sparse convenience stores for food. Imagine having to drive 50 miles round-trip just to buy fresh produce or milk; that’s a reality for some families in remote areas. Transportation barriers (like lack of public transit or a reliable car) compound the problem, leaving many rural households with limited and expensive food options. Economic factors also play a major role. Rural areas often have higher persistent poverty and fewer job opportunities compared to cities. While urban job markets recovered and grew in the past decade, job growth has remained limited in many rural counties. Stagnant wages and seasonal employment (common in agricultural or resource-based rural economies) make it hard for families to afford food consistently. In fact, nearly 90% of U.S. counties suffering long-term, “persistent” poverty are entirely rural – a sobering statistic that links enduring poverty with chronic food insecurity. Simply put, rural Americans are more likely to live on narrow margins, one unexpected expense away from an empty pantry.
Community isolation can exacerbate the issue as well. In close-knit small towns, there can be stigma or pride that makes folks hesitant to ask for help – they may feel they must “make do” on their own. And when help is sought, it’s often further away. This is why many rural communities have developed creative hunger relief solutions, like mobile food pantries and school backpack meal programs, to reach people spread out over large areas. The challenges are formidable, but as we’ll see in one Wyoming community, neighbors are stepping up to overcome them.
Volunteers load a car with boxes of food at a community mobile pantry. Rural hunger often calls for creative solutions like mobile distribution events to reach remote residents. Nonprofits throughout the heartland have seen demand surge as economic pressures mount – Food Bank of Wyoming, for example, distributed 25% more meals this past year as need spiked. Across rural America, scenes like the one above underscore how communities are rallying to feed their neighbors in need, even as food insecurity reaches its highest levels in a decade.
When we think of hunger in America, we might picture inner-city soup kitchens or struggling suburbs. But food insecurity is also ravaging places like Wyoming, a vast state of prairies and mountains where the distances are great and social services few. Wyoming may be sparsely populated, but the hunger statistics are striking. According to recent data, roughly 1 in 7 adults in Wyoming – and 1 in 5 children – are food insecure. This means thousands of Wyoming families routinely don’t know if they will have enough food for the week. The situation has worsened in the face of economic shifts. The price of groceries in Wyoming has jumped over 18% in the past year, far outpacing wage growth and putting healthy foods out of reach for many working families. That spike in food costs, combined with the rollback of pandemic-era support programs, has left more people turning to food banks across the state.
The nonprofit Food Bank of Wyoming reports a dramatic rise in need. In the most recent fiscal year, they helped get groceries to more than 55,000 people and distributed roughly 10 million meals statewide – a 25% increase in meals provided compared to the year before. “Food insecurity is still an urgent issue across Wyoming. The need for food assistance is higher than it's been in the last 10 years,” says Jill Stillwagon, the Food Bank’s executive director. Wyoming’s wide-open landscapes conceal many stories of quiet struggle: a ranch hand’s family running low on food until the next paycheck, or a single mother in a small town skipping supper so her kids can eat. And yet, in true Wyoming spirit, communities are responding with grit and compassion – none more so than the city of Laramie and its surrounding county.
One community that encapsulates the rural hunger challenge is Albany County, Wyoming, home to Laramie. Tucked in the southeastern corner of the state, Albany County has a mix of a small city (Laramie) and vast rural stretches. Despite being the site of the state’s only university and a vibrant community, Albany County faces the highest food insecurity rate in Wyoming. More than 6,000 people in Albany County – out of a population of around 38,000 – do not have reliable access to nutritious food. In percentage terms, that’s roughly 15% of the community struggling with hunger at any given time, well above the statewide average. These are our neighbors: working parents, children, college students, and seniors on fixed incomes all feeling the pinch. To put it in perspective, Feeding America data from a couple of years ago showed an insecurity rate of 12.3% here (about 4,580 people in 2021), and the current figures suggest the problem has only grown since then.
What makes food insecurity in Albany County especially challenging? For one, it’s predominantly rural outside of Laramie, meaning many residents live in small towns or on ranches far from grocery stores. Some families in outlying areas may have to drive an hour or more to reach the nearest supermarket or food pantry. Public transportation is virtually nonexistent beyond the city, so if you don’t have a working vehicle, accessing help can be daunting. Albany County also illustrates a gap in the reach of federal nutrition programs. It was recently identified (along with a handful of other Wyoming counties) as an area with high need but limited access to TEFAP, the USDA’s Emergency Food Assistance Program. TEFAP provides commodity foods to food banks, but if a county has few distribution sites or logistical hurdles, residents might not fully benefit from it. In plain terms, there are neighbors in Albany County who qualify for aid but have trouble getting it – making local solutions all the more critical.
Behind these statistics are real stories. One can find university students in Laramie who attend classes by day and quietly visit a food pantry in the evening because their part-time job doesn’t cover soaring food prices. There are single moms working two jobs in town who still come up short for groceries when rent and utilities are due. In the county’s rural fringes, an older couple living on Social Security might ration canned goods to get through the winter months. These scenarios are common in Albany County, as in many rural communities where the cost of living (especially food and fuel) has outpaced incomes. Yet, Albany County is also a story of resilience and neighborly solidarity in the face of hunger. At the heart of that story is a local organization making a big difference.
In Laramie and the wider Albany County, community-based action has become the lifeline for those facing food insecurity. A cornerstone of this effort is Laramie Interfaith, a local nonprofit and food bank that embodies the idea of “neighbors helping neighbors.” Laramie Interfaith operates a trusted community food pantry, offering free food assistance to anyone in Albany County who needs it. There’s no requirement to show ID or proof of income at the pantry – removing barriers and stigma so that people feel welcome to seek help when they’re struggling. On any given week, dozens of households come through Interfaith’s pantry to pick up essentials: canned goods, fresh bread and produce, milk, meats, and even pet food or hygiene items. This resource can be a godsend at the end of the month when paychecks run out, or during an unexpected crisis like a medical bill that devoured the grocery budget.
Laramie Interfaith’s mission is broader than just handing out food. As an organization, its goal is to alleviate both hunger and the underlying causes of hardship. In addition to the food pantry, Interfaith provides limited assistance with housing needs – such as emergency help with rent or winter heating bills for qualifying residents These services recognize that issues like a high heating bill or an impending eviction can directly lead to food insecurity (since families facing those pressures often cut food spending first). By offering an integrated approach, the organization aims not only to fill stomachs in the short term but also to foster long-term stability for local families. This holistic strategy reflects a deep understanding: hunger rarely exists in isolation; it’s intertwined with housing, employment, healthcare, and more.
Crucially, donations are the fuel that keeps such grassroots efforts going. Laramie Interfaith relies on the generosity of the community to stock its pantry shelves and expand its services. Every can of soup, loaf of bread, or dollar donated goes directly toward feeding families right here in the Laramie area. The impact is tangible. For example, a modest donation can translate into a week’s worth of groceries for a family, or gas for the van that delivers food boxes to a satellite pantry in a remote town. (To reach those living further out, Laramie Interfaith even operates a satellite pantry in Rock River, a tiny town in northern Albany County – ensuring that truly no part of the county is left unsupported.) Donors and volunteers essentially become part of a neighbor-to-neighbor support chain, turning compassion into action.
Why do people give, and what makes a donation appeal resonate? Decades of research in social psychology and fundraising offer some insight. People are often moved to donate when they feel a personal connection to a cause or community. Psychologists describe something called the identifiable victim effect – the tendency for individuals to be more willing to help a specific, identifiable person in need rather than an abstract group. In practice, this means that stories of a local neighbor’s struggle can spur more empathy (and generosity) than impersonal statistics. When we hear about a Laramie family who can’t afford supper, or see a photo of a child benefiting from the food pantry, it tugs at our heartstrings in a profound way. We’re wired to respond to human stories: seeing a face of hunger makes the issue real, urgent, and solvable – this is someone we can help.
Importantly, giving is not just an act of pity; it’s also an act that brings joy and fulfillment to the giver. Studies have found that helping others triggers positive feelings in us – often described as a “warm glow.” Brain research even shows that charitable donations can activate areas associated with pleasure, meaning people often give because it feels good to make a difference. This is a powerful insight: framing donations as an opportunity to tangibly improve a neighbor’s life can encourage more support because donors experience the reward of seeing their impact. In a community context like Laramie, that impact is visible. When you support a grassroots organization such as Laramie Interfaith, you might literally see the results at the next pantry day – families carrying bags of groceries, children able to go to school with full bellies, and seniors who don’t have to choose between medicine and food this month. Each contribution, no matter how small, becomes part of a success story.
From a marketing perspective (one informed by years of nonprofit fundraising experience), the most persuasive appeals are those that inspire hope and solidarity rather than guilt. The messaging here in Albany County has wisely focused on community and shared responsibility. It’s “neighbors helping neighbors” – a positive call to action that emphasizes unity and empowerment, not despair. This approach resonates with donors who want to be part of something uplifting. Instead of feeling overwhelmed by the enormity of “ending hunger,” people are invited to be a hero in their own community: to help one child, one family, one neighbor at a time. This aligns with best practices that yield excellent engagement – content that is emotionally evocative yet sincere, backed by facts but centered on human stories and solutions.
Addressing food insecurity requires a collective effort – and everyone can play a part. Here are a few ways individuals and communities can make a difference:
Finally, remember that even small acts of kindness count. It could be as simple as sharing surplus vegetables from your garden with a neighbor or buying extra groceries to donate. Food insecurity can feel like an overwhelming issue, but it is fundamentally solvable when communities unite. The spirit seen in Laramie, Wyoming – neighbors banding together so that no one goes hungry – can inspire us all. Every meal provided and every life touched is a step toward a future where no American has to wonder if they’ll have food tomorrow.
In conclusion, food insecurity in the U.S. is a challenge we can meet with knowledge, empathy, and action. By understanding the scope of the problem and supporting solutions at both the local and national level, we turn compassion into impact. Whether it’s through community fundraising, or simply looking out for the family next door, we all have the power to help end hunger. In the fight against food insecurity – from the biggest cities to rural counties like Albany County, WY – the most effective weapon is community. Together, as donors, volunteers, advocates, and caring neighbors, we can ensure that fewer families have to make the painful choice between paying bills and eating dinner. We can build a society where no one is left behind at the dinner table, and where the basic dignity of having enough food is a reality for every American.
As our mission continues, we will have more and more insight into what we strive for in the Laramie community. Stay tuned to what we are up too with more of our press releases:
