Emerging Leaders are a network of dynamic, civic-minded people who are the next generation of philanthropic leaders in Laramie County. They have a vested interest in lasting change in our community. With the new Emerging Leaders program structure, United Way of Laramie County is providing engagement opportunities that support your philanthropic interest as well as your personal and professional development.

Are you 20-35 years of age? Do you want to:

Connect with your peers and leaders in your community.

Serve as a volunteer for projects that are meaningful to your community.

Lead your community now and in the future.

Contact Sara Weber or Shawndae Johnson for more information.

Infographic - The Impact of Laramie County Millennial Philanthropists

On Saturday, May 9, 2015, local letter carriers collected 40,112 lbs. of non-perishable food during the National Stamp Out Hunger food drive. Donations were up from previous years.

Conducted by the National Association of Letter Carriers, Stamp Out Hunger was started in 1993 and is the nation's largest single-day food drive. It occurs when food pantries typically find their inventory low. The food collected locally stays in the community to assist Laramie County organizations. This year's recipients were COMEA House, Needs Inc., Safehouse Services, The Salvation Army, St. Joseph's Catholic Church, Boys & Girls Club of Cheyenne, and Wyoming Coalition for the Homeless. Annually, United Way of Laramie County assists with food bank outreach and community awareness.

The goal of Wyoming Free Tax Service is to meet tax preparation needs for low to moderate income taxpayers. The organization is made up of volunteers who are certified by the IRS each year on the current tax law. 

During the 2015 tax season, 17 local volunteers donated nearly 1,000 hours to provide free tax preparation to Laramie County residents who met the income guidelines. This valuable community service would not be available without the volunteers and support from the IRS, LCCC (location and onsite services) and United Way of Laramie County hosts the site and provides volunteer coordination and marketing support.

In 2015, 807 returns were filed in Laramie County. This assistance provided low income filers with $337,737 in earned income tax credits (EITC); $185,987 in child tax credits; and over $1,100,000 in total refunds.

The local site will open again in January 2016.

A healthy smile does more than light up the room. Beyond enhancing our appearance and confidence, oral health is a telling measure of overall health. It can even influence our ability to succeed in society. Imagine being in so much pain from a tooth abscess you can't go to work or focus on your family. Imagine losing teeth from gum disease or decay and not being able to afford crowns or dentures. These are serious problems that affect people's well-being and livelihoods.

Because oral care is fundamental to good health, HealthWorks made it part of its mission to integrate dental care into the clinic's services. A Federally Qualified Health Center and Patient-Centered Medical Home, HealthWorks delivers high quality, culturally sensitive comprehensive primary care regardless of ability to pay. Located in Cheyenne, HealthWorks served approximately 4,000 patients through approximately 12,000 patient visits in 2014, including 1,424 dental visits. More than 750 patients were able to obtain acute dental care from HealthWorks dental providers, in addition to patients seen and treated by HealthWorks medical providers for dental pain prior to seeing the dentist.

United Way of Laramie County's generous support has been instrumental in developing this unique dental program that provides low-cost urgent and preventive dental care. Without these services, Laramie County residents with limited resources would have few options for maintaining their oral health. Instead, the HealthWorks dental program demonstrates how people can improve their lives when they have access to the services they need.

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