A Colorado based ministry is raising cattle to provide beef for families in need while strengthening the Western community.
Something meaningful has taken shape in Northern Colorado, and it starts in a pasture.
At X2D Ranch Ministries in Ault, a herd of cattle represents more than livestock. It represents meals for families, community support and a ministry that continues to grow in both reach and impact.
Years ago, X2D started as a small, cowboy led ministry that has steadily expanded and is serving ranching, rodeo and Western communities. X2D hosts ride nights, youth rodeo practices, men’s, women’s and youth groups, bronc riding practices, rodeo Bible camps and cowboy church services throughout the year. The foundation of it all has always been simple, to meet and love people where they are.
Founder Dave Shumpert was “just a cow puncher,” when God called him to something greater than himself and his cows. He built the ministry around the belief that faith and the cowboy way of life don’t compete, they work together. Over time, that belief turned into action. Now, it’s turned into Feed the Need.
The program is dedicated to providing high-quality beef to families who need it most. Unlike many food outreach efforts that rely solely on donated goods, X2D raises cattle specifically for this mission. The ministry oversees the entire process, from raising the animals to processing, packaging and distribution.
Recently, the first calf born specifically for the Feed the Need program hit the ground. It was a small moment in ranch terms, but a big one for the ministry. That calf represents future meals on tables and tangible help for families navigating hard seasons.
The effort is backed by more than one person. Volunteers, families and supporters contribute time, labor and resources to make it possible. It’s ranch work with a direct community outcome, one that is making a big difference.
For many involved, Feed the Need has become a very full circle moment. Many families and kids who have spent their whole lives rodeoing, often grow up in communities where hard work is the norm but needs are always met. Now they are seeing another side of service. Instead of just competing or benefiting from the Western way of life, they are participating in giving back. The program connects those who raise the cattle with those who receive, allowing both sides to witness the direct impact of generosity and selfless service.
Shumpert says that impact extends much beyond the families receiving help. “To many of the ranchers and producers that have given into this program they are seeing the ripple effect of their many years of hard work having a profound effect in their communities on the lives of others they may not have ever realized before,” he said. For some, the experience of raising, donating and delivering beef to families in need becomes perspective. It shifts the focus from what you get to what you give.
X2D Ranch Ministries continues to focus on serving the Lord and sharing the Gospel, but the impact extends beyond the typical church services. For many families, it may simply mean knowing someone cared enough to step in and help put food on the table.
In a time when many conversations focus on what’s broken, Feed the Need is an example of something being built intentionally and with purpose.
It begins with serving others where you are. For X2D Ranch Ministries, that just happens to start with cattle.
To learn more about Feed the Need or to support the ministry’s efforts, visit x2dranchministries.com.
