ROCK SPRINGS – A program focused on helping single mothers that was discontinued due to financial downfalls is looking at the possibility of making a comeback. CLIMB Wyoming will present at the Rock Springs City Council on Tuesday night to discuss this.

The Sweetwater CLIMB Wyoming program was established in 2007 to help low-income single mothers. Training offered by the program included CDL training, CNA training, warehouse and inventory tech training.

During its time in Sweetwater County, CLIMB Wyoming averaged 20 participants a year with a total of 130 mothers and 287 children served. According to a 2013 American Community Survey, 41 percent of Rock Springs families with a female head-of-household and related children under the age of 18 lived in poverty in 2013. This number increased to 58 percent in female head-of-households with children under five.

The program had strong outcomes. According to CLIMB Wyoming, 45 percent of participants were employed in low wage jobs before joining CLIMB. The program’s numbers showed that 81 percent of CLIMB Wyoming graduates were employed in higher paying jobs two years after program completion.

Average graduation rate in the Sweetwater County program was 93 percent. In the Sweetwater area, participants using public health care decreased from 22 percent to 4 percent two years after program completion. Participants use of food stamps decreased from 44 percent to 24 percent during the same time frame.

The program opened its doors in 2007 in Sweetwater County with 100 percent federal funding that was secured by statewide grants and fiscal staff. In 2014, the program received $1 million in funding cuts from a funding stream that made up 60 percent of the operating revenue for the organization.

As a result, in 2014 losses reached approximately $245,000. CLIMBS financial projection for 2015 included a projected loss of approximately $700,000.

CLIMB’s Board of Directors and Management looked at the situation and proposed to continue to program statewide by shutting one location down. The Sweetwater program was 95 percent funded by statewide funds and only 5 percent funded by local donations and grants.  The decision was made to close the Sweetwater program on Sept. 30, 2014.

Since then, the program has worked to diversify the finances for the organization. According to CLIMB, the changes have made CLIMB more financially stable.

With this, CLIMB is working to reopen an office in Sweetwater County. In order to have a stable and permanent presence in Sweetwater County, Officials said local support is vital. The goal of the program is to secure annual support from the Sweetwater community equivalent to 30 percent of the annual Sweetwater program budget.