(Fremont County, WY) – When it comes to making sure everyone has access to a warm meal and a place to sit down, eat and share their stories, Fremont County resident Shanna Choate from the Cold Cup of Water Ministries and her mobile soup kitchen Good Portions have stepped in to do just that.
Choate, who was wearing a t-shirt that read “Hope Dealer” at the time of the interview, told County 10 that she and her husband began providing meals out the back of their vehicles in the Riverton area about three years ago.
“My husband and I and some friends just have a really big heart for people living on the streets who might be struggling with addiction or alcoholism,” Choate explained, adding that the meals they provide are for the unhoused and those in need, and that they are “not going to turn anyone away.”
Eventually, the idea for a mobile food trailer came to mind, and that’s when the LOR Foundation stepped in with a $25,000 grant to help that idea come to fruition.
The mobile kitchen has now been operating in Riverton since mid summer after the Choates traveled to Texas to get the trailer they needed.
Since then, Good Portions has set up at the Family Dollar parking lot in Riverton every Wednesday from about 12:00 to 1:00 PM, and for the past two weeks they have been coming to Lander around 11:00 AM (in front of the methodist Church on 3rd Street) in an effort to expand and feel out the community need.
(While the plan is to have these scheduled times be an ongoing thing, Choate did advise that weather may be a hindrance in the colder months, but they will have a better idea about how the equipment will handle the winter once it gets going.)
So far the response has been great according to Choate, who said that some days are slow but others they serve up to 30+ meals. As for the new Lander visits, she said she “can’t wait to see what the response will be.”
In addition to providing food for the unhoused and those in need, Choate hopes people will sit down and share their stories.
“That’s why my heart is really into feeding people, because when you sit down at a table together, you become family. There’s a reason everybody is out here, there’s a reason for their struggles, and if you take the time to sit and hear them, they’re willing to share.”
Choate’s friend and Good Portions helper Kara Hancock echoed these sentiments and philosophy.
“The idea of sitting down at a table to eat, kind of breaks down barriers,” Hancock shared. “Once you start to get to know the individuals and talk to them as a person, a lot of misconceptions just melt away.”
Hancock also added that Good Portions has helped her take that “first step” in getting involved with helping the community, and she hopes others will do the same.
Choate said there are currently people who donate to Good Portions to help with fuel and food costs, but paying for most of the expenses comes out of her own pockets, so they are open to anyone who wants to lend a helping hand.
To contact Shanna about donations or potential fundraising events, and to read some of the stories that folks gave permission to share, click here, or visit her personal/public Facebook page.