Wyo Gives Day moves Wyoming communities forward

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (Wyoming News Now) – Wednesday marks the 4th annual Wyo Gives Day.

The 24-hour, dollar-for-dollar match fund-raising event is dedicated to raising awareness and community engagement.

The goal of Wyo Gives Day is to unite the entire state in celebrating the work over 300 organizations do, and all donations stay local.

Work like helping folks get into housing and breaking generational cycles of poverty.

“This is a Wyoming platform for Wyoming non-profits, and the impact stays local. So you can have a huge impact right in your own local community, under the passion of your choice,” said Brenda Birkle, Executive Director of My Front Door and Chair of the Affordable Housing Taskforce.

Services such as providing essential services.

“We’ve definitely been seeing an influx in our clients coming in with summertime being here. We have a lot of kiddos to feed, “Friday food bags” don’t run this summer. So we’ve been trying to make up food bags for the kiddos for the summertime once a week,” said Kristen-Erin Balderaz, Executive Director of Needs Inc, Food Pantry.

Helping to create vibrant and healthy communities, like supporting LGBTQ folks and preventing teen suicide.

“Every week we have folks who can’t buy groceries or can’t pay their medication costs and if you donate to Wyoming Equality during Wyoming Gives; you let us say, ‘We’ve got you, you don’t have to worry about it,’ and that’s an amazing gift that people people can participate in,” said Sara Burlingame, Executive Director of Wyoming Equality.

And preserving our history and culture.

The Sunrise Historic and Prehistoric and Preservation Society (SHAPPS) gives tours and teaches children from the old YMCA. Sharing the town’s old mining history and its findings from the archaeological research site, which is on the cusp of identifying the oldest population in the region.

“You’re going to donate to something that is really beneficial to the whole state and to the world, being this old archeological site and the red ogre mine up there. We’re just finding new stuff everyday,” said Kent Hargraves, Board Member of SHAPPS.

These organizations also help kids get a leg up. Helping the Boys and Girls Club build a STEM room that inspires future innovators, builders, and engineers.

“It’s really an investment in our youth, and where we really want to be and who we want to become, so were so excited to be a part of this for another year,” said Amanda Fiske, Director of Development the Boys and Girls Club Cheyenne.

There’s also a fund match through the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Wyoming and the Hughes Charitable Foundation for up to $1M.

Thanks to Wyomingites’ generosity, Wyo Gives can have the greatest impact on moving our communities forward.

Donations will be accepted up until midnight. To give or look for your favorite cause or non-profit, click here.

To donate to My Front Door, click here.

To Donate to Needs Inc, click here.

To Donate to SHAPPS, click here.

To Donate to Wyoming Equality, click here.

To Donate to the Boys and Girls Club of Cheyenne, click here.

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