Food Bank of Wyoming Executive Director Rachel Bailey Named USA Today’s Woman of the Year

The Food Bank of Wyoming's Executive Director, Rachel Bailey, was named one of USA Today's Women of the Year in the March 2nd issue recognizing and celebrating women who have made a significant impact on their communities and across the country.

One woman in each state was named a USA Today's Woman of the Year and recognized nationally.

USA Today highlights how Rachel brought her expertise back to her home state to help solve hunger throughout Wyoming. As the leader of a state-wide nonprofit, Rachel says, “you have to think about being an organization that is relevant to your community, or your state, dig in and understand how you fit into the bigger picture.” She’s learned that you must determine the needs of your community and fulfill those needs without duplicating efforts.

Bailey officially joined the Wyoming Food Bank on May 16, 2022.

Before then she worked for the American Cancer Society and was the executive director of the Wyoming Symphony Orchestra.

Rachel’s work has centered on fostering community and connectivity across Wyoming.

Bailey was raised in Wyoming, but traveled across the world, from San Francisco to London, Europe, Asia, and Africa. All of these adventures contributed to Bailey's business and marketing proficiency.

“Really, I wanted to be able to bring all of the things I had learned, my experiences and my skills back to help my community and the place I grew up to try to make a difference here,” Bailey stated via the Food Bank of Wyoming website.

She also said that, during her travels across the world, she saw various forms of food insecurity.

“I’ve traveled to a lot of places where food insecurity is prevalent throughout a community,” she said. “I think in America, because [many] people have such abundance, they forget that not everybody lives that way.”

The Food Bank of Wyoming is the Wyoming distribution location of the Food Bank of the Rockies, which is, according to their website, "the largest hunger relief organization in the Rocky Mountain region" and distributes thousands of meals every day in Wyoming.