ROOTED IN WYOMING

ROOTED IN WYOMING IS DEDICATED TO CULTIVATING THRIVING, SELF-SUSTAINING COMMUNITIES BY GROWING LOCAL FOOD SYSTEMS. ROOTED IS GUIDED BY A SENSE OF ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP, AND THE AGRICULTURAL HERITAGE THAT HAS SHAPED OUR STATE FOR GENERATIONS. SINCE 2016, WE HAVE SUPPORTED OVER 20 GARDEN AND LOCAL FOOD PROJECTS LOCALLY, WORKING WITH SCHOOLS IN SHERIDAN COUNTY TO ENGAGE THOUSANDS OF STUDENTS IN HANDS-ON LEARNING ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF LOCAL FOOD AND SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES. DURING 2022 AND 2023 ROOTED MINI-GRANTS SUPPORTED 9 PROJECTS IN 5 WYOMING COMMUNITIES. THROUGH VOLUNTEER PROGRAMS AND PARTNERSHIPS WITH A VARIETY OF ORGANIZATIONS, WE LIVE OUR MISSION TO CONNECT COMMUNITIES THROUGH LOCAL FOOD.OUR ROOTS RUN DEEP IN WYOMING'S AGRICULTURAL TRADITION. WE UNDERSTAND THAT THE VALUES OF HARD WORK AND STEWARDSHIP OF THE LAND ARE CENTRAL TO OUR COMMUNITIES. WE ALSO BELIEVE THAT PRESERVING THESE VALUES MEANS ADAPTING THEM FOR THE FUTURE. THAT'S WHY WE ARE WORKING TO INSPIRE THE NEXT GENERATION OF FARMERS, FOOD ADVOCATES, AND COMMUNITY LEADERS. THROUGH SCHOOL GARDENS, CULINARY PROGRAMS, AND LOCAL FOOD PROJECTS, WE ARE SOWING THE SEEDS OF KNOWLEDGE, INSTILLING A RESPECT FOR THE LAND, AND TEACHING YOUNG PEOPLE THE POWER OF LOCAL FOOD TO FOSTER HEALTHY, RESILIENT COMMUNITIES.AT THE CORE OF OUR MISSION IS A BOLD VISION: THAT EVERY COMMUNITY IN WYOMING CAN GROW ITS OWN FOOD. TO ACHIEVE THIS, COMMUNITIES NEED THE RESOURCES AND KNOWLEDGE TO EXPAND LOCAL FOOD PRODUCTION. ROOTED IS HELPING PROVIDE THIS THROUGH INNOVATIVE PROGRAMS LIKE OUR INCUBATOR GARDEN AT BRIDGES, WHERE NEW FARMERS ARE TRAINED AND SUPPORTED IN GROWING FOOD FOR THE LOCAL MARKET. THIS PROJECT, LIKE ALL OUR WORK, IS DESIGNED TO STRENGTHEN WYOMING'S FOOD SYSTEM BY CREATING PATHWAYS FOR THE NEXT GENERATION OF PRODUCERS AND ENSURING THAT OUR AGRICULTURAL HERITAGE CONTINUES TO THRIVE IN TODAY'S WORLD.ROOTED IN WYOMING ALSO OFFERS VITAL SUPPORT TO LOCAL PRODUCERS WHO ARE WORKING TO KEEP OUR COMMUNITIES NOURISHED WITH LOCALLY GROWN GOODS. OUR MINI-GRANTS PROVIDE ESSENTIAL RESOURCES TO SMALL FARMERS, ENABLING THEM TO GROW AND EXPAND THEIR OPERATIONS. WE ALSO BACK THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE FREEDOM FOODS CO-OP, A NETWORK OF LOCAL PRODUCERS WHOSE GOODS ARE AVAILABLE AT FARMERS MARKETS AND LOCAL STOREFRONTS.EVERY STEP WE TAKE IS DRIVEN BY A DEEP SENSE OF PURPOSE: TO CREATE A FUTURE WHERE WYOMING COMMUNITIES ARE HEALTHIER, MORE RESILIENT, AND SELF-SUSTAINING THROUGH LOCAL FOOD. WITH EVERY GARDEN WE PLANT AND EVERY FARMER WE SUPPORT, WE ARE NOT JUST CULTIVATING FOOD - WE ARE CULTIVATING A MOVEMENT. ROOTED IN THE STRENGTH OF WYOMING'S PAST, WE ARE BUILDING A FUTURE WHERE OUR COMMUNITIES THRIVE, POWERED BY LOCAL FOOD AND THE COLLECTIVE WILL TO GROW TOGETHER.ROOTED IN WYOMING'S WORK RELIES ON THE GENEROSITY OF DONORS AND GRANT-MAKERS. FINANCIAL SUPPORT ALLOWS US TO PURCHASE ESSENTIAL SUPPLIES, SEEDS, AND TOOLS FOR OUR GARDENS, MAINTAIN INFRASTRUCTURE, AND OFFER FREE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING TO SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITIES THAT OTHERWISE LACK ACCESS. AS WE GROW, WE NEED CONTINUED INVESTMENT TO DEVELOP PROJECTS LIKE THE INCUBATOR GARDEN, HYDROPONIC FARM WALLS, AND GREENHOUSE INITIATIVES THAT WILL BOOST LOCAL FOOD PRODUCTION AND ENSURE LONG-TERM FOOD SECURITY TO ALL WYOMING COMMUNITIES FROM K1-12 STUDENTS/FAMILIES TO VETERANS. EVERY CONTRIBUTION HELPS BUILD A MORE RESILIENT WYOMING.ROOTED IN WYOMING'S SUCCESS IS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE LEADERSHIP OF OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND BOARD OF DIRECTORS WHO BRING A DEEP PASSION FOR EDUCATION AND SUSTAINABILITY, GUIDING THE ORGANIZATION WITH A CLEAR VISION FOR THE FUTURE WHILE FOSTERING RELATIONSHIPS WITH LOCAL SCHOOLS, BUSINESSES, AND NONPROFITS. UNDER THIS LEADERSHIP, ROOTED IN WYOMING HAS BUILT A STRONG FOUNDATION OF TRUST AND COLLABORATION, POSITIONING US TO CONTINUE OUR GROWTH AND MAKE LASTING CHANGE IN THE COMMUNITIES WE SERVE.