Powder River Energy Foundation and Basin Electric Power Cooperative have joined forces to make a $15,000 donation to Climb Wyoming, fostering workforce development so low-income single mothers can discover self-sufficiency through career training and placement.

Climb Wyoming is a statewide nonprofit that creates brighter futures for struggling single mothers and their families. The program includes job training and placement in high-demand careers, such as truck driving, healthcare, and public schools, as well as individual and group mental health counseling, and life skills classes in financial management, parenting, and more. 

“Single mothers and their children experience the highest rates of poverty among families in Wyoming,” said Dane Joslyn, Climb’s Gillette Program Director. “This investment from the PRECorp Foundation and Basin Electric will ensure that low-income single mothers receive the support, skill-building, and training necessary to achieve financial independence and make meaningful contributions to the local economy and community by filling critical positions in the workforce.”

The award was increased to $15,000 this year when the Foundation applied for and received approval for a matching grant from Basin Electric dedicated to helping rural nonprofit organizations.

“The PRECorp Foundation, and matching partners like Basin Electric, strive to support groups like Climb Wyoming. Climb’s successful programs continue to implement one of the Foundation’s general tenets which is to give a ‘hand up’ to those in need in rural northeast Wyoming. We appreciate Climb’s ability to create these sustainable solutions for single mothers,” said Foundation Board President John Flocchini.

“We look to improve lives in our communities by supporting organizations that deliver long-term services that can end the cycle of poverty. The impact of these donations will be felt by the hard-working consumer-members of PRECorp throughout northeast Wyoming,” said PRECorp Foundation Executive Director Joe Roth.

PHOTO CAPTION: Present for the award of a $15,000 donation to Climb Wyoming are (from left) PRECorp Foundation Directors Mary Geier, John Flocchini, Mary Yemington, Zeta Anderson, Laci Schiffer, Susan Berry; Climb Program Director Dane Joslyn, Foundation directors Michelle Edwards and John Riesland and Executive Director Joe Roth.