Laramie Volunteer Fair Connects Residents With 30 Local Nonprofits

More than 30 Albany County nonprofits set up tables in the Laramie Civic Center's South Gym on Thursday, drawing residents, University of Wyoming students and local professionals during a three-hour window designed to turn civic interest into actual commitments. The Laramie Young Professionals, a program of the Laramie Chamber Business Alliance, organized the fair in partnership with the United Way of Albany County, which estimates that over 3,000 county residents received shelter or free food through its partner agencies in the past year alone.

The Laramie Soup Kitchen is the most visible single point of need. Open every weekday from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., and welcoming people through its doors as early as 8 a.m. to shelter individuals from the elements, the kitchen relies entirely on volunteers to serve restaurant-quality meals at no cost to guests. Volunteer shifts are available throughout the week at laramiesoupkitchen.org/volunteer.

The food security gap extends well beyond the Soup Kitchen: Laramie Interfaith reports that Albany County carries the highest food insecurity rate in Wyoming, with more than 6,000 residents lacking reliable access to nutritious food. Laramie Interfaith recruits volunteers for food pantry shifts, delivery routes, cleaning and office support. Prospective volunteers can call 307-742-4240 or visit laramieinterfaith.org/get-involved. Through its partnership with the Family Promise Program, Laramie Interfaith also places volunteers with homeless families working toward stable housing.

The Eppson Center for Seniors, which provides community connections and programming for older Albany County residents, accepts volunteer applications at activities@eppsoncenter.org and posts open roles at eppsoncenter.org/volunteers.

The American Red Cross Wyoming chapter offers the broadest mix of episodic roles: Disaster Action Team responders deploy to local emergencies, Mass Care and Shelter volunteers activate during major weather events, and Disaster Mental Health volunteers take crisis calls. Those positions can be explored by calling (307) 638-8906 or through redcross.org/local/wyoming.html.

Albany County SAFE, which serves domestic violence survivors, Big Brothers Big Sisters, which matches adult mentors with youth starting at age 6, and Laramie Head Start, which supports early childhood development, all represented the safety and youth programming sector at Thursday's fair. Downtown Laramie, operating as Laramie Main Street, recruits both one-time event volunteers and board candidates; Volunteer Coordinator Kim Jessen can be reached at kim@laramiemainstreet.org or 406-370-3451.

Organizers encouraged attendees to bring resumes for those considering formal board seats. Residents who missed Thursday's event can browse current openings at unitedwayalbanycounty.org/volunteer-opportunities-in-albany-county, or reach out directly to the Laramie Chamber Business Alliance about future recruitment events.