2015

ServeWyoming

Annual Report

Improving lives and strengthening Wyoming communities through volunteerism

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Brandon KosineChairCasper

Gus StonumVice ChairLaramie

Cody FriedlanSecretary Gillette

Maurice Morton TreasurerCasper

Melissa Bartley Ex-Officio Cheyenne

Amy BuschEx-OfficioCheyenne

Jennifer CroweBanner

Melissa Stahley-CummingsCasper

Ron CunninghamLander

Andy GienappCheyenne

Michael Griffin Ex-Officio Cheyenne

Kenya Haynes Cheyenne

Travis JordanGillette

Nancy McKenzie Cheyenne

Spencer PollockCheyenne

Kathryn PrimroseLander

Haley RobertsSheridan

Linda RoosaGreen River

Dylan RosalezCasper

Mary RosenbergRiverton

Molly SpanglerCheyenne

Dean WelchCasper

Zoe WhitePinedale

Shelly McAplin - Executive Director Nuriéh Glasgow - Program Officer Jessica Stanbury - Program Coordinator

Commissioners:

Staff:

Dear Friends of ServeWyoming, There is no doubt that service and volunteerism play a major role in strengthening the fabric of our communities and in addressing important needs. As we look back on 2015, we are amazed at the wonderful work that our program partners and volunteers have accomplished. Thousands of Wyoming volunteers and AmeriCorps members have given their time and talents to make positive differences in their communities. The stories of service in this report not only reflect the beauty of our state, but also reveal an inner beauty that thrives in small and large communities across Wyoming. We thank the AmeriCorps members and volunteers represented in this report and all those who have served to make Wyoming a better place to live! As our state’s Commission on National and Community Service, an integral component of our mission is to effectively leverage federal AmeriCorps funds to help address critical needs across the state. It’s a unique responsibility. We are the only entity that, by executive order, exists in order for Wyoming to access AmeriCorps funds. The power of our organization comes through how we manage those resources and deliver outcome-focused programming. Inside, you’ll find the latest on our various programs: AmeriCorps, Volunteer Wyoming, Emergency Preparedness, and the Pro Bono Volunteer Network, including data showing our commitment to improving lives and strengthening Wyoming communities through volunteerism. The people represented in this report are doing extraordinary things and are a vital part of our communities! We appreciate your support and interest in our work and know that you, our partners, rely on us to deliver results. That responsibility is our constant driver, and we will continue our strong focus on proven approaches and program enhancements to ensure that 2016 is just as noteworthy as 2015.

Shelly McAlpinExecutive Director

Improving lives and strengthening Wyoming communities through volunteerism

S e r v e W y o m i n g i s G o v e r n o r M a t t M e a d ’ s

C o m m i s s i o n o n N a t i o n a l a n d C o m m u n i t y S e r v i c e

promot ing e f fo r t s among p r i v a te , non-p ro f i t and gover nmenta l o r gan i za t i ons tha t adv ance commun i t y se r v i ce ,

vo lun tee r p r ogr ams and ac t i v i t i es i n each Wyoming commun i t y. We a l so co l l abor a te w i th o the r Co r por a t ion fo r

Na t iona l & Commun i t y Se r v i ce p r ogr ams such as Amer iCo r ps V ISTA and Sen io r Co r ps. Se r veWyoming g i ves

e ve r y c i t i zen an oppor tun i t y to he lp so l ve our b igges t c ha l l enges i n educa t ion , the env i r onment , pub l i c sa fe t y, human needs , and

home land secur i t y.

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AmeriCorps

University of Wyoming-Wyoming Conservation Corps

Greater Wyoming Big Brothers Big Sisters

Teton Science Schools

Wyoming Coalition Against Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwest Wyoming

Promote leadership & provide natural resource & envi-ronmental management experiences to young adults.

Provide outreach & support to new mentors & recruit mentors/AmeriCorps members to improve the lives of youth in Wyoming.

Provide education & science training for educators, youth, & young adults & promote environmental educa-tion.

Provide leadership, education & systems advocacy to advance social change & end violence, including crisis intervention.

Provide after school educational & enrichment activities, mentoring, & homework assistance to local youth.

Program Impact

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48

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Programs Members

Feeding Laramie Valley - Working for food security and a sustainable local food system. Now a VISTA and Foster Grandparents grantee.

2 0 1 5 p r o v e d t o b e a n o t h e r r e m a r k a b l e y e a r f o r A m e r i C o r p s p r o g r a m s a l l a c r o s s t h e s t a t e ! T h r o u g h o u t Wyo m i n g , A m e r i C o r p s p r o g r a m s h a v e :

* Tu to r e d o r m e n to r e d m o r e t h a n 1 7 5 c h i l d r e n a n d y o u t h* Pr o v i d e d n e a r l y 6 5 , 0 0 0 h o u r s o f s e r v i c e v a l u e d at o v e r $ 1 . 5 m i l l i o n* R e c r u i te d m o r e t h a n 1 , 0 1 0 v o l u n te e r s* L e v e r a g e d m o r e t h a n $ 4 1 2 , 0 0 0 i n c a s h o r i n - k i n d r e s o u r c e s to d ate

To l e a r n m o r e a b o u t t h e s p e c i f i c i m p a c t a r e a s o u r A m e r i C o r p s p r o g r a m s a d d r e s s , s e e b e l o w !

Employers ofNational Service

Employers of National Service builds a talent pipeline which connects AmeriCorps and Peace Corps alumni with leading employers from the private, public, and non-profit sectors to create recruitment, hiring, and advance-ment opportunities. Through this initiative, employers will have new access to a dedicated, highly qualified, and mission-oriented pool of potential employees and nation-al service alumni will have additional opportunities to ap-ply their skills in the workplace.

The Corporation for National and Community Service, which administers AmeriCorps, is leading this effort along with its partners the Peace Corps, AmeriCorps Al-ums, and the Franklin Project.

Why hire National Service Alumni? National service develops essential skills that make AmeriCorps and Peace Corps alumni assets for organizations and companies seeking high-quality employees. National service alumni are strong leaders who are motivated, flexible, innovative, and outcome-oriented. They learn quickly and work well on diverse teams. AmeriCorps and Peace Corps alumni know how to mobilize others to tackle some of the most pressing challenges facing our nation and our world.

How do you benefit as an employer? Employers of Na-tional Service will have a competitive edge in reaching a large and diverse pool of talented individuals. Participat-ing employers will have their job opportunities highlight-ed via promotional channels that reach a vast network of

talented job seekers. Every employer from the nonprofit, government, and corporate sectors should strongly con-sider the value that national service alumni can add to their organization.

To become an Employer of National Service, organiza-tions will demonstrate policies and practices that empha-size the skills that national service alumni bring to the workplace. A commitment to be an Employer of National Service could include at least one of the following:• Explicitly indicate in relevant job announcements an

interest in recruiting AmeriCorps members and re-turned Peace Corps volunteers (For example, “Amer-iCorps, Peace Corps, and other national service alumni are encouraged to apply.”)

• Provide an opportunity for job applicants to identify themselves as AmeriCorps or Peace Corps alumni. (For example, placing a check box on your employ-ment application that asks a question along the fol-lowing lines: “Did you serve in an AmeriCorps, Peace Corps, or another national service program?”)

Organizations from all sectors are eligible to become Em-ployers of National Service! To learn more and/or sign up, please visit http://www.nationalservice.gov/special-initia-tives/employers-national-service.

Source: The Corporation for National and Community Service. (2015). “Employers of National Service”

Above: Wyoming Conservation Corps members dust prarie dog colonies to help reduce the spread of the bubonic plague through prarie dog colonies in

Thunder Basin National Grassland. Right: A member of AmeriCorps NCCC Team Silver 5, helps sort donations in Lusk.

* American Red Cross * Comcast and NBCUniversal * Corporation for National and Community Service * Disney* National Park Service * Sodexo * Southwest Wyoming Recovery Access Programs (SW-WRAP)* Teton Science Schools * U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services * U.S. Department of Agriculture

ServeWyoming is proud to be an Employer of National Service! Check out who has joined us in Wyoming so far:

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volunteerwyoming.org

As of December 15, 2015, more than 22,939 Wyoming citizens utilized Volunteer Wyoming, re-sulting in more than 1,711 report-ed hours of service. These volun-teer opportunities are generated through the matching database, the Professional Volunteer Network, and service events such as MLK Day and the 9/11 Day of Remem-brance, and this year from We’re With You Day-a service day event we partnered with WyHy Federal Credit Union on in August. See page 7 for pictures from our 2015 National Service Day events.

This past year, we produced six volunteer guides, distributed in Campbell, Sheridan, Laramie, Park, and Natrona counties. The purpose of our Volunteer Guides is to provide a complimentary resource to our online database (volunteerwyoming.org), which highlights a variety of volunteering opportunities across the state of Wyoming. These guides encourage and inspire community members to volunteer by providing specific information about local nonprofit volunteer opportunities, while also highlighting local businesses committed to our communities.

We also provide training oppor-tunities to nonprofits in search of strategies for recruiting, placing or matching, managing and recogniz-ing volunteers. In addition, as part of our Emergency Preparedness initiative, we can train Wyoming citizens how to set-up andoperate a Volunteer Reception Center (VRC) in their respec-tive counties. Read about how we trained AmeriCorps NCCC Team Silver 5 to operate the VRC in Lusk on page 9.

Contact ServeWyoming to request a training.

By the Numbers

Many organizations that need volunteers lack the capacity to effectively find and recruit retirees and newcomers. This is why, in 2007, a central resource was created to match needs and opportunities across Wyoming. We call this resource, Volunteer Wyoming. The Volunteer Wyoming Initiative encourages awareness of the importance of vol-unteering as a way to mobilize people and resources to deliver creative solutions for community problems and opportunities.

Increasing the number & effectiveness of volunteers in Wyoming

Volunteer Wyoming2015Overview &

Highlights

Our FREE volunteer database/matching website, www.volunteerwyoming.org, provides a core infrastructure to link together all the various community volunteer activities, opportunities, and needs with volunteers and resources; supporting nonprofits when they need it most. After switching to a new platform in October of 2013, and then updating the system to provide better mobile capabilities in August 2015, volunteerwyoming.org is functioning better than ever. Check out some of our 2015 stats below!

As o f December 15 , 2015 , vo lun tee rwyoming.o r g has 1 ,272 ac t i ve agenc ies , 3 ,037 ac t i ve us -e r s , and 408 ac t i ve vo lun tee r needs pos ted . Fr om Januar y 1 -December 15 , 328 ne w user s and 35 ne w agenc ies c r ea ted p r o f i l es on the s i t e . I n 2015 , Oc tober saw the h ighes t vo lun tee r ac -t i v i t y w i th 4 ,807 Vo lun tee r Need V ie ws , 40 Ne w Member Reg i s t r a t i ons , and 33 Need Repsonses. Augus t saw the mos t Agency Page V ie ws w i th 9 ,482 . I n 2015 a to ta l o f 193 need r esponses th r ough vo lun tee rwyoming.o r g !

“The volunteer guide has been instrumental in securing volunteer oppor tunities for the individuals we ser ve. The information in the guide

is disabil ity friendly and it has enabled us to work with ten dif ferent agencies in Casper. We love the volunteer guide!”

Jaime Cureton, I-REACH

Left: ServeWyoming staff and commissioners, Foster Grandparents, and AmeriCorps members join Mayor Powell at the Natrona County Volunteer Fair in April where he commemorated Mayor’s Day. Below: We’re With You

Day volunteers help make pet toys for the Cheyenne Animal Shelter as part of the Cheyenne-Casper August 15th event.

Above: We’re With You Day volunteers help Wyoming Food For Thought Project with their garden project in Casper on August 15th

Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook for even more volunteer oppor tunity updates and highlights

across the state.

Left: The Fall 2015 Natrona County Volunteer Guide, featuring 81 local

organizations and 170 opportunities.

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National Veteran Corps Pinningwith Senator Enzi!

“To be able to attend something like this with Senator Enzi honoring me for both my ser vice then and my continued ser vice now,

really meant more than words could say.”

Scott Grahl, AmeriCorps member and United States Air Force veteran serving with Greater Wyoming Big Brothers Big Sisters

On November 13, 2015 during a Veteran Corps pin-ning ceremony, Senator Enzi, with ServeWyoming and the Corporation for National and Community Service, recognized veterans who have continued a life of service as AmeriCorps and VISTA members and Senior Corps volunteers, and also those national ser-vice members who are serving veterans and military families.

ServeWyoming collaborated with the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) to recog-nize the dedicated individuals as members of the Na-tional Veteran Corps, as part of a larger effort to raise awareness of the value veterans bring to communities.

National Veteran Corps pins were presented by Sena-tor Enzi to thirty AmeriCorps/Senior Corps members, at his Cheyenne office. This event was one of nearly 200 recognition events featuring National Veteran Corps pin presentations taking place across the coun-try throughout the month of November.

Last year, more than 23,000 veterans served in their local communities as AmeriCorps members and Senior Corps volunteers. Additionally, more than 780,000 veterans and military families were served through AmeriCorps and Senior Corps programs. The Corporation for National and Community Service is a federal agency that engages millions of Americans in service each year through Senior Corps, Ameri-Corps, and other programs. For more information, please visit www.servewyoming.org.

MLK Day was once again a suc-cessful event in 2015. The event included a march down one of Casper’s main streets, followed by a ceremony honoring the impor-tance of MLK Day. The event ended with a celebration of the VISTA (Volunteers in Service to America) 50th anniversary and a Community Solutions Summit to build awareness and create solu-tions around homelessness. All in all, we had approximately 192 participants, totalling to 384 hours of service.

AmeriCorps Program Directors and ServeWyoming helped Wyoming Food For Thought Proj-ect stuff bags for their Weekend Bag program. The bags are given to children in Natrona County who may otherwise go hungry for the #NationalDayofService in remembrance of 9/11.

National Days ofService

D I D YO U H E A R ?

in Wyoming...

Volunteers Estimated Value of ServiceHours of Service

142,640 thousand

$409.2million

17.7million

Source: VolunteeringinAmerica.gov

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Volunteer NetworkIn 2010, ServeWyoming embarked on the Pro Bono Volunteer Network in an effort to establish a network of business and social leaders who volunteer their time and expertise to nonprofits for a short-term project/training. In order to be eligible to be matched with a professional volunteer, nonprofits must apply for a Service Grant through ServeWyoming. Once approved, ServeWyoming facilitates the match between the awarded nonprofit and a professional volunteer matching the skills required.

To learn more about our Pro Bono Volunteer Network, visit www.ser vewyoming.org and click on “Get Pro Bono” if you’re interested in applying for a Ser vice Grant. Click on “Give Pro Bono” if

you’re a volunteer looking for ways to util ize your skil ls to make a positive impact.

Pro Bono

Emergency PreparednessBetween May 24 -June 6, Wyoming was inundated with a number of severe weather events bringing flood damage and destruction. One AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC) team (10 members) deployed on June 13 to Niobrara County and the city of Lusk to support Volunteer Reception Center (VRC) operations, donations management, debris clearing, and mucking/gutting. After the team departed on July 13, Niobrara County identified a continued need for AmeriCorps support due to the high level of damage. The Disaster Service Unit (DSU) shared the need with neighboring AmeriCorps Disaster Response Teams (A-DRTs) and Montana Conservation Corps swiftly made arrangements to fulfill the request. The 7 person crew (6 mem-bers, 1 staff) assisted mostly with external debris removal, clearing the river channel and surrounding landscape of debris as well as utilizing their chainsaws to remove hazard trees. The crew also helped with some fencing, as well as rehab and construction work. The crew arrived on July 28 and stayed until August 7.

ServeWyoming was active in providing VRC training to AmeriCorps NCCC Team Silver 5, referring volunteers and connecting with NCCC and Montana Conservation Corps to assist in deployment efforts in the area.

Source: The Corporation for National and Community Service. (July, 2015). Disaster Service Unit-Disaster Brief. “Count On Us: National Service Continues to Respond - Wyoming.”

Lusk Flood

Ser veWyoming plays an active role in WYVOAD (Wyoming Organizations Active in Disasters), where we assisted with two local disasters this past year. Read below to find out how!

Cole Creek Fire On October 11, 2015 in the town of Evansville, many citizens were displaced due to the Cole Creek Fire that destroyed appoximately 20 homes and left many others damaged.

Because ServeWyoming awards and monitors multiple federal grants, we accepted the role of housing monetary donations given by generous donors across the region for the Cole Creek Fire victims. Once the donations, are received, a committee of local emergency relief agencies will allocate the funds via an application process to assist with any unmet needs. We also partnered with the Burn Fund in Casper, who will also be us-ing our application to administer funds to those affected by the fire. Once applications are returned, the committee will review and award funds to cover any unmet needs as determined by the applicant and their caseworker. ServeWyoming is donating staff time towards the administration of the Cole Creek Fire Fund. We have also partnered with the Cole Creek Fire Recov-er Organization (CCFRO) to help with relief efforts.

In addition, ServeWyoming coordinated community volunteers to assist with clean up efforts following the fire.

As part of a multi-agency response effort, the AmeriCorps NCCC Team Silver 5 above was assigned to assist the Town of Manville, Town of Lusk, and Nio-brara County Emergency Management. Thank you for all of your help!

ServeWyoming matched community volunteers with Team Rubicon above to assist with debris cleanup following the

Cole Creek Fire in Casper.

We currently have 109 Pro Bono

Volunteers registered to help

Wyoming nonprofits!

330 South Center StreetSuite 317P.O. Box 1271Casper, WY 82602

(307) 234-3428(866) 737-8304(307) 234-3438 (fax)

w w w. s e r v e w yo m i n g . o r gw w w. v o l u n t e e r w yo m i n g . o r g

Wyoming’s Commission for National and Community Service

Wyoming i s r a n k e d 2 1 s t i n t h e N a t i o n f o r v o l u n t e e r i n g !

K e e p t h a t n u m b e r r i s i n g by c o n t a c t i n g ServeWyoming t o d ay !