Join us in participating in the 15th Annual Challenge for Charities by donating today through July 10! Learn about all of the 55 participating nonprofits on the Lander Community Foundation website.
We want to share about a few local organizations doing great work throughout Lander:
Good Samaritan Community Meal
The Good Samaritan Community Meal serves a hot meal curbside every Friday night from 5:00-6:00 in the parking lot of the Methodist Church in Lander. We enlist compassionate and fun volunteers from the community for each Friday night, and welcome anyone who would like to volunteer. Contact Deanna at First Stop Help Center to sign up (firststophelpcenter@gmail.com).
The Community Meal depends heavily on the Challenge for Charities for funding. As the cost of food continues to rise, so does the number of folks served. On average, the Community Meal provides 275 meals every week to those with food insecurities, over 12,000 per year. The funding we receive is spent on groceries, to-go containers, kitchen equipment and kitchen use. We are so grateful to the Lander Community Foundation and the C4C for their continued support.
Lander Girls Softball League
Lander Girls Softball League is a non-profit in every sense of the word. All the fundraising we collect goes straight back to our players, which is exactly where our funds should go as a youth recreational league. As a result of our dedicated board, coaches, and parents who volunteer, we are able to keep registration fees low and keep the girls playing without putting a financial burden on their families. Thankfully, we have coaches who are willing to donate their time and knowledge and spend countless hours at practices and games passing their love of the game on to our players. Our continued success comes as a result of devoted volunteers who love and support the game of softball.
The youth of our community is fantastic with many talents and that is also evident on the softball field. In 2024, Lander Girls Softball League took five teams to the Wyoming State Tournament in Gillette with the 14U winning the State championship and 3 of our other teams 18U, 10U and 8U taking 2nd Place. Many players would not be able to afford to attend a tournament of this caliber but we work hard to keep costs low through fundraising in order to keep the experience enjoyable and affordable. Funds raised will also go toward field improvement and equipment. Along with field improvement, we have been making efforts to make our voices heard in hopes that Softball may become a sanctioned sport through FCSD1. The biggest barrier we have is funding. If approved, we will be the first High School softball team in Fremont County, a feat another surrounding town has attempted and has been denied due to budgets. We have talented players right here in Lander who travel as far as Worland and Casper, so they can play High School softball. We are working hard so our girls may be able to play softball as a Lander Tiger in the near future.
We believe the focus of youth sports should be on the player and the sport, not the cost. We take a lot of pride in the fact that we can offer a sport to the girls of our community that ALL can afford to play, no matter their financial situation. We do not want to see our families plagued with debt just so their children can play a sport. The lessons of hard work, determination and teamwork learned on the field are lessons that our players will keep with them as they navigate life. The talent is here in Lander and these girls deserve the opportunity to continue to play and reach their full potential on and off the field.
Lander Free Medical Clinic
While many people are tired of their hard-earned tax dollars going to organizations that they don’t believe in or support, it is now imperative, due to recent government cuts in funding, that you are intentional in your giving to organizations that you do believe in and support. We can no longer rely on Government funding, so therefore we ask that you make it a priority to give to our organization if you do believe in us and support what we do. We cannot perform our mission without your generous financial support.
Information from the American Institute of Philanthropy (AIP), (an organization that helps donors maximize the effect of their charitable giving) rates various Charities by calculating the percentage of donated income that actually makes it through to its intended target. According to the AIP, a Charities “effectiveness” is acceptable if 60% of what it collects reaches its intended charitable mission. Donors should avoid contributing organizations where less than 60% of contributed funds reach the designated target. Historically, the United States government rate is 30%. Our rate is greater than 75%.
CARING FOR FREMONT COUNTY
Of the 39,741 people living in Fremont County, 13.5% live below the federal poverty level–that’s roughly one in every seven residents. Nearly 20% of county residents under age 65 are uninsured, making access to health care a serious challenge . For many in our community, this means preventable diseases go unchecked, acute medical needs go unmet, and chronic illnesses go unmanaged. Medical bills pile up unpaid, and the ER becomes the only place people can turn to for care, placing undue stress on already overburdened rural emergency services.
In response to this urgent need, Lander Free Medical Clinic was established in 2023 to provide free primary health care and wraparound services to low-income, uninsured residents of Fremont County.
Our clients (Lander-specific, ideally),
LFMC serves over 200 patients from across Fremont County! Here’s a quick breakdown of where our patients live:
- 16% Riverton
- 72% Lander
- 4% Hudson
- 2% Ft Washakie, Shoshoni
- 1% Kinnear, Jeffrey City, Arapahoe
- 0.5% Dubois and Crowheart
2024 stats:
In 2024 we impacted our community by providing: 700+ documented patient encounters; $122,000 in billable visits provided to our patients free of charge; $117,800 in labs & imaging services provided through our partnerships with Lander Medical Clinic and SageWest for only $12,400–a savings of nearly 90%! We also provided $32,800 in prescription medications, obtained by the clinic for $18,250 thanks to our partnerships with local pharmacies, Direct Relief, and Americares. Over 1,400+ volunteer hours were provided as well.
We couldn’t have done this without our 23 community partners who provide discounted or at-cost services for our patients; donors, volunteers and assistance from LCF and C4C!
PARTNERS IN PREVENTION & CARE
Connecting patients with available state and local resources is a key aspect of our intake process. Here are a few of the programs that we routinely utilize:
- Wyoming Cancer Screening Program – free mammograms, pap smears, & colonoscopies.
- Wyoming Medication Donation Program – cuts costs of expensive chronic medications
- Wyoming QuitNOW – for those ready to quit smoking/vaping
- Fremont County Public Health – a great resource for low- cost vaccinations and STI screenings
- SNAP, Lander Care & Share Food Bank, Methodist Food Pantry – for those experiencing food insecurity.
Together, we work to keep our neighbors healthy, housed, fed, and secure!
“5 to Thrive” Across the state of Wyoming, an estimated $24 billion in wealth will transfer from one generation to the next between now and 2034. Imagine what would be possible if just 5%–more than $1 billion–was reinvested in Wyoming communities through charitable giving! Have you considered joining other supporters of LFMC in making a gift to will? Your gift could be a gamechanger for the LFMC in our ability to continue to provide free health care to those most in need.
To all of our volunteers, donors, and partners: we want to extend our sincerest thanks. You have not only contributed time, money, and expertise in support of our mission; you have contributed hope. Your support helps people get the care they need, allowing them to heal, return to work, spend quality time with their loved ones, and continue to take part in the community that we all call home. We ask that you make it a priority to give to our organization if you do believe in us and support what we do. We cannot perform our mission without your generous financial support.
You can contact us at:
Lander Free Medical Clinic
860 S. 3 St.
Lander, WY 82520
Phone: 307-349-0363
Email: help@landerfreeclinic.org
Website: www.landerfreeclinic.org
If you choose to join us in the 15th annual C4C fundraiser, fill out a donor form and designate your contribution to the organizations you want to support.
Mail a check payable to Lander Community Foundation, PO Box 1131, Lander, WY 82520 by July 10. Or donate online.
Email us at info@landercommunityfoundation.org or call 307-438-9247 if you have any questions.
Thank you in advance for supporting Lander’s nonprofits!