Meet the EPP Team: Erika Matarrita

Tell us a little about yourself.

I'm a California native who made my way to Gillette in 2022. My background is in Hospitality Management with an emphasis in Event Planning, so working with people and pulling events together is really where I thrive. Outside of EPP, I stay active in the community through my advocacy work, including serving as Vice Chair of ALL Coalition Wyoming and Membership Director for PFLAG Gillette.

What brought you to the Edible Prairie Project?

Food insecurity is something that has touched my life in different ways, and it's a cause I care about deeply on a community level too. What really drew me to EPP specifically was their approach of growing food right here locally rather than sourcing it from somewhere else. There's something powerful about a community feeding itself, and I wanted to be part of making that happen in Gillette.

What does a typical day look like for you?

Every day looks a little different, which is honestly one of my favorite things about this role! I spend my time coordinating with our amazing volunteers, handling meal planning and inventory for our Summer Weekend Meals for Kids program, and getting to dive into the fun parts too, like planning our Annual Fundraising Dinner, Pasta alla Prairie. No two days are the same, and that keeps me excited to show up.

What has been the most rewarding part of your work so far?

Watching our volunteers in action. They genuinely care and you can feel it. They show up, put in the work, and come together with so much heart to make a difference in this community. 

Favorite vegetable and one you could live without?

Although they're technically fungi, Mushrooms, without a doubt. Beets are beautiful in color, but they just don't agree with my palate.