After several years of work, Kids’ Chance of Wyoming (KCWY) has officially launched—thanks to the dedicated persistence of a core group of volunteers.

Introducing Wyoming into the Kids’ Chance community marks a historic milestone and fulfills a long-term goal set by founder Bob Clyatt.

“His vision has always been to have a Kids’ Chance organization in every state,” says Dana Genheimer, President of Kids’ Chance of America (KCOA). “It is my distinct privilege to say that we’ve achieved this dream. With the forming of Kids’ Chance of Wyoming, we have a presence in all 50 states.”

But laying the foundation for KCWY is only the beginning. Wyoming has one of the highest death rates in America for on-the-job fatal accidents—four times higher than the national average. What’s more, the state’s minimum wage is the lowest in the country, which exacerbates the pain and heartache experienced by families of injured workers.

“I know there are kids out there who need us,” says Jack Edwards, personal injury attorney on the founding board of KCWY. “In fact, I’ve got some among my own clients.”

Other members of the inaugural board include President Tammy Johnson, Marcia Shanor, Ron Sniffin, Janci Baxter, Mark Aronowitz, and Kyra Marlatt.

KCWY has the support of the Wyoming AFL-CIO, the Wyoming Trial Lawyers Association, and the Wyoming Education Association, all great partners who will set the organization up for success.

“Now we look forward to our next chapter,” Genheimer says. “It’s not enough to have a presence in each state; we need to ensure each and every state can consistently fulfill its mission and ultimately reach every eligible kid.”