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The towns of Medicine Bow, Hanna and Elk Mountain have been collecting non-perishable food items for the past month to distribute to 24 families.

The Girl Scouts have been doing drives and their efforts paid off. To enter the haunted house at the Hanna Recreation Center on Halloween, a donation of a can or package of non-perishable food was given. Approximately 270 people entered the building that night and a lot of cans were collected.

Eli Hobbs, principal of Hanna, Elk Mountain, Medicine Bow (HEM) high school coordinated the food drive.“

We have had the FFA, girl scouts, the elementary and high school and the community at large collecting canned food for the past month,” Hobbs said. “This week we counted over 1,500 items and they will go into 24 different baskets to residents in different towns where this will make a difference in their Thanksgiving.”

Hobbs said both Walmart and City Market in Rawlins were helping support the food drive for northern Carbon County.

“City Market donated fresh produce and Walmart is donating turkeys and ham,” Hobbs said. “The youth group from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is distributing the food. We have a list of the different communities of the people who need this.”

Hobbs said any leftover food will be donated to the Saratoga Food Pantry.

According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), more than 34 million people, including 9 million children, in the United States are struggle with food insecurity. The organization Feeding America reports every community in the country is home to families who face hunger. Rural communities are especially hard hit.

In 2021, 11 percent of rural households were food insecure according to the USDA. In their Map the Meal Gap report, Feeding America found nine out of 10 counties with the highest food insecurity rates were rural.

Rural communities make up 63 percent of all U.S counties, but 87 percent of counties with the highest food insecurity rates. Living in a rural community comes with unique challenges that make affording food more difficult, including lack of transportation, low wage jobs, and underemployment.

Holidays can be particularly difficult for struggling families. 

For 24 families in northern Carbon County, it won’t be an issue this year thanks to the outreach of many people and organizations.

“It has been very enjoyable to see the kids and communities come together and work hand in hand to take care of their own and take care of others that need the help,” Hobbs said. “It just shows how good people are.”