WealthVest Employees Raise $4,000 to Support Homeless Youth
Bozeman-Based Financial Services Company Donates to Local McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Program
This February, WealthVest’s employees took turns plunging into the frigid waters of Glen Lake as part of a company-wide challenge to raise funds for the Bozeman School District’s McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Program.
Between words of encouragement and chattering teeth, nearly 40 employees leaped from the lake’s dock into an open-water area cut from the ice to garner a $100 donation for the Homeless Education Program. WealthVest’s employees earned and donated $4,000 to assist students in the Bozeman School District who are homeless or living in a transitionary environment with access to education and basic needs.
“There are so many students in our community who are spending long, cold winter nights in their car or an inadequate housing situation,” said Wade Dokken, president and CEO of WealthVest. “To help raise awareness of the situation, we decided to issue a challenge to our team, asking them to experience full-on Montana cold by braving the icy waters of the lake. I’m extremely proud of the turnout and our employees’ support for this important cause in our community.”
In the 2020-2021 school year, more than 108 students experienced some level of housing insecurity in the Bozeman School District, according to data from the Montana Office of Public Instruction. Housing insecurity could include residing in a shelter, motel/hotel, campground, car, or other inadequate residences.
The McKinney-Vento Program offers various services to support at-risk and homeless youth in the District, including rapid enrollment, automatic free and reduced lunch, transportation and continued enrollment. Additionally, the school has a food and supply shelf located at Bozeman High School and Gallatin High School, where families can find food, clothing, hygiene items, school supplies and more, as well as access housing, medical and other community resources.
Learn more about the program and find helpful links to community resources in the Bozeman area at www.bsd7.ss4.sharpschool.com/teaching_and_learning/mckinney-vento_homeless_assistance_act.
Photos of WealthVest’s team members plunging into the frigid waters of Glen Lake can be found at www.wealthvest.com/wealthvestblog/mckinney-vento-2023.