Rachel Bailey Named Executive Director of the Food Bank of Wyoming
Rachel Bailey, the former Executive Director of the Wyoming Symphony Orchestra, has been named the new Executive Director of the Food Bank of Wyoming.
That comes from a press release from the non-profit, who stated that Bailey officially joined the team on May 16, 2022.
The release stated that Bailey has worked in Central Wyoming as a non-profit director and a campaign organizer for more than ten years.
"From her grassroots campaign work for the American Cancer Society to her time as the executive director of the Wyoming Symphony Orchestra, Rachel’s work has centered on fostering community and connectivity across Wyoming," the release stated. "Rachel transformed the Wyoming Symphony Orchestra through partnership building, relevant program creation, volunteer recruitment, and donor stewardship."
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, but home is where the heart is, and Bailey's heart was always in Wyoming.
“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.”
She returned to the Cowboy State in 2009 and "sought opportunities to use her skills to help make Wyoming a better place to live, work, and play."
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."
The Food Bank of Wyoming distributes more than 20,000 meals on average daily in Wyoming.
"But for those in need, we provide more than just food," the website pledges. "We give hope. We open a future. Because when you can’t provide for your family today, it’s hard to even think about tomorrow."
Food Bank of Wyoming stated that 1 out of every 6 people in Wyoming is affected by food insecurity. This organization, now with Bailey at its frontlines, will work to fix that.
“I really love Wyoming, and I really love the people in the community,” Bailey said. “I went away and had all these experiences, but honestly the best experiences I’ve had in my life have been right here in my home. I think that Wyoming has such generous people; people here take care of each other. I’m very excited to be a part of the community and food distribution and work with all of the volunteers and staff of our partner organizations. I feel that this is Wyoming at its best.”