As the federal government shutdown continues, the strain on families and individuals who rely on food assistance benefits is mounting. In Wyoming, where more than 28,000 residents—nearly 5% of the state’s population—depend on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), local nonprofit services are stepping up to fill the gap.

One prominent lifeline is the Wyoming Rescue Mission (WRM) in Casper, which reports increasingly urgent demand for meals, shelter and recovery services amid the economic uncertainty.

Located at 230 N. Park Street in Casper, the Rescue Mission provides not only three hot meals daily but also emergency shelter, clothing, case-management and recovery programs for individuals facing homelessness, addiction or other life-dominating challenges.

According to the organization, their “Love Your Neighbor” summer campaign highlighted how essential community support is to maintain these services year-round. The campaign materials stated: “All year long, Wyoming Rescue Mission offers immediate help and long-term recovery services … providing nutritious meals, clean beds, and clothing, as well as residential programs, case management, mental health treatment, and vocational skills training.”

In a recent profile, Executive Director Brad Hopkins noted that the Mission’s work overlaps with hunger, poverty, mental health, substance use and housing instability—situations that feed into each other.

With federal SNAP benefits at risk or delayed due to the shutdown, many low-income Wyoming residents face sharper trade-offs at the grocery store or may skip meals altogether. In this context, WRM reports a rise in the number of guests seeking services. For example, one posting noted a 15 % increase in meals and shelter requests on a recent “final day to provide twice the meals and care.”

The Mission’s summer campaign materials estimated that $175,000 would be required to sustain their programs during that period alone—underscoring how fragile the funding and capacity can be when multiple stressors converge.

How Community Members Can Help

According to WRM, the most helpful actions right now include:

Donations of funds, food, clothing and hygiene items: These directly support meals, shelter beds and the recovery programs.

Volunteering time in kitchens, dining halls, thrift operations (“Rescued Treasures” stores) and other service areas. The thrift stores also serve as vocational-training sites for program participants.

Spreading the word about local hunger and homelessness issues — particularly given that SNAP deadlines and benefit delays may leave more people needing backup support than usual.

For Wyoming’s 600,000-plus residents, the cascading effects of a shutdown — benefits delays, job losses, housing instability — increase the urgency of “safety-net” services like this. As one WRM publication noted: “We overlap with issues of poverty, … hunger, domestic violence, mental health, suicide. However, our connection point is homelessness.”

Wyoming Rescue Mission Serves Christmas Dinner

The Mission was a flurry of excitement as dozens of volunteers rushed around making everything perfect for a Christmas meal. Mr. and Mrs. Clause made an appearance, causing a wave of giant smiles as they walked through the dining hall to brighten people’s days.

Mission Graduates Celebrate Success in Recovery Journey

Gallery Credit: Kolby Fedore, TSM