CHEYENNE – Volunteers of America Northern Rockies (VOA) and Peak Wellness Center (PWC) have officially joined forces and begun to merge operations. The combined organizations will serve more than 17,000 individuals annually across Wyoming, Montana and Western South Dakota. 

“The merger is an excellent opportunity to bring out the best of both organizations,” said Jeff Holsinger, CEO of Volunteers of America Northern Rockies. “Peak has a lot of expertise in providing mental health services, and now that they are part of the VOA family, we are excited to expand the reach of our mission to serve and strengthen our neighbors in need.”  

Combined, the resulting nonprofit organization will employ more than 350 staff throughout the region. Both organizations’ boards have voted to finalize the process. “During our initial discussions we discovered that our programs and missions were complementary and that a merger offered multiple opportunities to strengthen the services provided,” said Karl Cline, former CEO of Peak Wellness Center and now Executive Vice President of Strategy and Advancement for Volunteers of America Northern Rockies.  

Volunteers of America is fully engaged in merging these two great organizations. It has been several months in the making and will take continued effort to complete the process, but on September 8th VOA will celebrate the merger and be serving thousands of individuals and families across the Northern Rockies.

After a long due diligence process, the formal merger has been approved with the belief that it is in the best interest of those served by VOA and PWC. To ensure staff, clients and the communities served know that their best interests are being taken to heart, both organizations have worked openly together throughout this process. 

The Coronavirus pandemic and recent economic downturn have forced changes in the delivery of mental health and substance abuse services in Wyoming. Strong alliances are needed between providers to ensure the sustainability of care to vulnerable populations. This merger enhances the mission impact of both organizations while helping them become stronger financially, programmatically and geographically. Together, they will serve more people in need. 

Volunteers of America Northern Rockies has been serving veterans in Albany, Laramie, Goshen and Platte counties for the past several years. With the merger comes an opportunity to better serve veterans across the region by relocating Veteran Services staff to former PWC offices, now to be called VOA-Churchill (510 W 29th St. in Cheyenne, WY) and VOA-Laramie (1263 N. 15th St. in Laramie, WY). Veterans facing homelessness anywhere in Wyoming or Montana should call 1-844-4-VOA-Vets to get connected with their nearest office. 

About Volunteers of America Northern Rockies  

The mission of Volunteers of America Northern Rockies is "To compassionately serve and strengthen individuals by empowering them to build healthy and happy lives.” Their faith-based organization is guided by professional staff and committed volunteers who create strong families and thriving communities through progressive holistic programs by lending a hand up, not a handout. Volunteers of America Northern Rockies was established in Sheridan, Wyoming in 1985 as a regional affiliate of Volunteers of America Inc. a national nonprofit organization dedicated to helping those in need rebuild their lives and reach their full potential (est. 1896). 

Their holistic and integrated programs, encompassing eight core services areas including Veteran Services, Health Care Services, Adult-Corrections, Homeless Services, Youth Services, Affordable Housing, Ministry & Outreach, and Community Enhancement - allow VOA to move individuals, families and even generations from instability to full and productive lives. Their outcomes continually demonstrate the potential in everyone.