40 years working with moms to strengthen Wyoming

This Mother’s Day, Climb Wyoming celebrates 40 years of working alongside moms to strengthen families, communities and Wyoming’s workforce.

In 1986, psychologists Dr. Ray Fleming Dineen and her mother, Dr. Pat Fleming, created a bold and new approach to help single moms in Cheyenne. Four decades later, that vision has now grown into a nationally recognized program with six locations across the state, having impacted 12,000 moms and 25,000 children, a combined population that exceeds Wyoming’s third-largest city.

Climb has completely redefined what’s possible for families that experience the highest rates of poverty in our state — single moms and their children. Mother’s Day is the perfect opportunity to recognize that when mothers succeed, families and communities thrive, too.

By focusing on the intersection of mental health and employment, Climb has become a driving force in transforming communities, helping moms build lasting success and meaningful careers in healthcare, commercial driving, construction, technology, banking and more. In total, Climb graduates have contributed over 60 million hours of work to Wyoming’s economy, partnering with 850 employers statewide.

At Climb, we’ve seen the positive ripple effect that happens when a mom finds financial independence: Everything changes for years to come — for her, for her children and for her community. To understand those impacts even more clearly, we’ve invested in a project to survey graduates who completed the program many years ago to quantify how that change is real, lasting and transferable across generations. The findings we’re seeing tell a story that is both validating and extraordinary, from the immediate life-changing wage increases Climb graduates experience to sustained growth that transforms every part of their families’ lives, including beneficial impacts on housing and food security, education and access to healthcare. At the start of Climb’s program, less than half of participants are employed, and those who are working make an average of $1,588 per month. Ten years out, graduates report earning an average of $4,915 per month, along with a significant increase in home ownership.

While the data is impressive, the thousands of Climb graduates throughout our communities tell the full story: Diane is one of Climb’s many graduates who say the program continues to pay off years down the road. She completed Climb’s Commercial Driving training 20 years ago and continues to work as a truck driver. “My self-worth was so low before Climb,” she recalls. “Now it’s through the roof because I know I’m good at what I do. Without Climb, I wouldn’t have known the first steps to take. Climb took a chance on me when no one else would, and I’m forever grateful for that.”

Graduates like Diane also demonstrate the generational impact of gaining meaningful employment and financial stability. Two of Diane’s sons now operate trucks and have worked alongside their mom in high-paying construction careers.

Climb moms are shaping the next generation in profound ways. We’re honored to have been part of their lives and celebrate how their courage, commitment and resilience have positively impacted families, neighborhoods, communities and the entire state of Wyoming.

We’re proud to represent Wyoming’s resilience and innovation on the national stage as well: Ascend at the Aspen Institute recently named Climb one of the top 20 organizations in the U.S. positively influencing the next generation with greater opportunities for economic prosperity and family well-being.

Climb’s 40th anniversary is more than a milestone. It’s a testament to the resilience of the women who’ve come through the program, the commitment of employers, supporters, and community partners, and the power of investing in the people of Wyoming. This Mother’s Day, I invite you to join us in celebrating the remarkable women in our state who are transforming their lives and creating positive change that lasts for generations.