Want to help feed Pueblo? Grow your own food? Check out the Feeding Pueblo Initiative
Shayna Williams may be new to Pueblo, but that hasn’t stopped the 32-year-old mother, wife and Army veteran from making a difference in the community.
Shayna is president and founder of the Feeding Pueblo Initiative, a nonprofit organization addressing food insecurity by delivering food pantry items to those in need and educating families on how to grow their own food.
“This started with my own backyard garden,” Shayna said. “This year was my first year growing in Colorado. We grew more food than we could feed ourselves and preserve ourselves. We had to buy a backup freezer just to preserve our food.”
With extra squash, zucchini and backyard hen-laid eggs, Shayna and her husband Shawn Williams began reaching out to friends, neighbors and coworkers. It wouldn’t be long before they were able to make contact with low-income families on Facebook and give away fresh food for free.
Now a nonprofit organization with a board of officers, the Feeding Pueblo initiative hosts donation drives two times a month, connects volunteers with families through a sponsorship program and maintains partnerships with two food pantries.
The Feeding Pueblo Initiative not only delivers garden-grown food to local families, the organization also provides canned goods, school supplies, clothing, education and other resources.
Those looking to build a garden in their own backyard also may benefit from the Feeding Pueblo Initiative. Residents can learn which foods are in season, how to read seed packets, how to make sure plants are properly watered and more.
Shayna’s passion for helping others comes from her own experience. She grew up in Massachusetts as the youngest of four children living in poverty. With a single income, her siblings and mother often relied on the Salvation Army’s free weekly dinners and food pantry for sustenance.
“As I got older and I realized what the Salvation Army meant to me and my family, I started giving back,” she said.
A “mindset of volunteerism” was maintained by Shayna through 11 years of active duty service in the U.S. Army. She donated to the Salvation Army, volunteered with the Girl Scouts of America, volunteered with on-base military schools and even received a Meritorious Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal.
Shayna's marriage to Shawn, a U.S. Army logistics specialist, was celebrated in September 2022. In addition to sharing a passion for service, the two share a love of gardening. Shawn is the Feeding Pueblo Initiative’s Merchandise and Inventory Manager.
Community donations help the Feeding Pueblo Initiative carry out its mission. The initiative is looking for donations of nonperishable food items, bread, cheese, milk, cleaning supplies, diapers, pacifiers, paper towels, toilet paper and wipes.
The Feeding Pueblo Initiative also accepts monetary donations for purchasing items, delivering items, building gardens, maintaining gardens and fundraising.
Another great way to support the Feeding Pueblo Initiative is through their fall clean up for hunger fundraiser.
Individuals can visit www.the-feeding-pueblo-initiative-inc.com, like The Feeding Pueblo Initiative Inc. on Facebook, email TheFeedingPuebloInitiativeInc@gmail.com or call (636) 219-2131 for more information.
