Adobe Stock
In a recent radio interview, the Gabriel Project of Wyoming offered a behind-the-scenes look at its growing outreach ministry, which provides families in need with essential support rooted in the Catholic faith.
The Gabriel Project, a Catholic, volunteer-led nonprofit based in Gillette, offers essential items, such as diapers, wipes, and car seats, while pursuing a broader spiritual mission of serving families with compassion and dignity.
In a July 29 interview with Real Presence Live, executive director Shannon Moodry shared how the effort began after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade.
“[W]e felt an urge, my husband and I and my adult daughter Kelly, to [ask] what can we do more of? How can we help tangibly on the ground?” she said.
Before becoming a nonprofit, the work was more local. For years, St. Matthew’s Catholic Church in Gillette had run a “Gabriel Closet,” offering basic supplies, such as diapers and car seats. As need and demand grew, space became limited, and parishioners stepped in to expand the effort.
Moodry said the organization’s work now spans the state and depends heavily on local partnerships and volunteers. Giving out material goods is only half the work, she said.
“The other 50 percent is to plug our families into life-affirming resources that can continue to help them,” she explained, including to agencies that provide housing, food assistance, childcare, mental health services, and other support.
The project has also earned strong institutional backing. In 2024, Bishop Steven Biegler of the Diocese of Cheyenne sent a letter to parishes statewide, encouraging participation in the Gabriel Project and reaffirming the Church’s commitment to serving life-affirming missions.
Becky Barrett, a volunteer with the organization, said that while much of the group’s work involves providing items like diapers and wipes, the mission extends beyond material needs.
“It’s support and love,” she said in the interview. “In Wyoming in particular, we have this mindset of rugged independence and it’s really hard for people to reach out, you know?”
She noted the spirit of fellowship among volunteers, even when they’ve never met each other before.
“It’s just a beautiful way to do what God has asked us to do and to serve the marginalized and to support families,” Barrett said.
The Gabriel Project also collaborates with other local nonprofits to connect families to help they might not otherwise find. Susan Glanzer, director of the Family Resource Center at Youth Emergency Services in Gillette, said her agency began partnering with the Gabriel Project after realizing their missions aligned.
“It started in prayer and ended in prayer,” she said of their first meeting.
The Gabriel Project has expanded rapidly since its founding, fueled by local volunteers and a growing network of partners.
Moodry said, “Out of the gate — we’re just trying to keep up with [God].”
