Jae Foundation Wyoming - Year In Review & A Look Ahead
- Fri, Dec 12, 2025
- Jansen Curry
Friends of the Jae Foundation,
For those of you who don’t know me yet, my name is Jansen Curry, and I am truly honored to step into the new role of Executive Director for Jae Foundation Wyoming. My connection to this mission began in the summer of 2024, when I first witnessed the heart, honesty, and purpose that pulse through this foundation. I felt something click. It wasn’t the numbers or the structure that pulled me in; it was the heart. The vulnerability. The people. The impact.
Before I share more, I need to pause and recognize someone who has been the heart and driving force behind Jae Foundation’s presence in Wyoming long before I ever came onboard. Julie Mackey, our Wyoming Outreach Coordinator, has poured her whole self into this mission for years. She showed up—literally and figuratively—for a long list of impactful Jae Foundation experiences throughout 2025: Boot Check Certified Business presentations, university talks, high school senior boots, conferences, and so much more. Her dedication, bravery, and quiet strength have helped build the very foundation we’re standing on today. I’m deeply grateful for the path she’s paved and honored to serve alongside her.
When I was approached about stepping into this new role, my heart didn’t hesitate. I’m a Wyoming kid through and through—born and raised in Casper, a former University of Wyoming volleyball player, a UW grad, a mom to three Wyoming-grown kids, and a co-owner of a Wyoming business. Serving this state I love, through a mission I believe in, with a team I admire? It was an easy “YES!”
As we near the close of a year of impact, I want to take a moment to reflect on all the incredible work that’s been done—work that is changing lives, strengthening conversations around mental health, and reminding thousands of people, especially young people, that they matter deeply.
This year, with your generosity and support, Jae Foundation expanded our reach in ways we couldn’t have imagined. Below is a recap of what your belief in the mission has made possible in Wyoming.
High School Senior Experiences Across Wyoming
One of the most defining parts of our work in Wyoming is our High School Senior Boot Initiative. Thanks to the commitment of staff, volunteers, educators, donors, and community partners, we visited and served 32 high schools across Wyoming. Because of donors from across the country, we were able to put 3,585 pairs of Jae Boots onto the feet of Wyoming high school seniors and staff.
Every pair represents a conversation that may not have happened otherwise. Every pair represents hope. Every pair represents a reminder to ask the simplest and most life-changing question: “How are you doing… really?”
We hear from students who tell us their Jae Boots have meaning far beyond just “a pair of boots”—they’re a symbol of connection, comfort, and courage. That is because of you. I recently heard Jason Vickrey share a story of reminding someone that the Jae Foundation isn’t a private entity—he is the founder, not the “owner.” The Jae Foundation belongs to the community. It belongs to all of us, and we belong to one another. I feel that deeply when I am fortunate enough to witness the impact our senior boot initiative has on students, staff, volunteers, and anyone who sits in and listens to Jae’s story. What a beautiful lesson to witness take hold as feet slide into leather boots and hope settles into hearts.
Introducing Jae’s Place Wyoming
One of the most exciting developments this year is the beginning of something Wyoming has never had before—a permanent WYOMING home for the mission.
Thanks to the incredible generosity of Tyler and Trudi Holthouse and the McMurry Foundation, Jae’s Place Wyoming, located in Downtown Casper, will be our dedicated hub for all things Jae Foundation Wyoming.
This new space will serve as:
• A home base for programs, experiences, and boot distribution
• An event space for community gatherings, trainings, and conversations
• A safe and welcoming place for families, schools, partners, and volunteers
• A physical reminder that no one walks this road alone
It will be a place where conversations happen, where stories are shared, and where hope takes root. We are in the early stages, but the momentum is strong and the vision is clear. We look forward to sharing updates as this dream becomes reality.
Teen Outreach & Summer Retreats
Wyoming expanded significantly this year into additional areas of support.
Teen Outreach:
This year, we increased our efforts to reach teens beyond the school walls through teen outreach events that create community, partnerships, and ongoing conversations. Our goal remains simple: create opportunity for teens to feel seen, connected, and supported. With each high school boot presentation, we encourage young leaders to step up (in their boots) and take the reins in their communities. With the help and guidance of our teen outreach programming, they are creating monthly opportunities to build the relationships needed to shift the culture around mental health and suicide. As our ability to rope in more schools grows, so will Teen Outreach. We couldn’t be more excited about it!
Summer Retreats:
Our summer retreats continue to be some of the most meaningful gatherings we offer—full of connection, storytelling, healing, and fun. Wyoming played a large role this year, helping shape experiences for youth, families, and adults. These retreats serve as powerful reminders of community—what it feels like to be surrounded by people who understand and care. We are thrilled to have the opportunity to host another summer of retreats in Wyoming at the Double J Ranch.
The Power of Volunteers & The Wyoming Team
If there is one theme that emerges again and again in our work, it is this: We cannot do this without our people.
Volunteers across Wyoming—ambassadors, teachers, donors, community leaders, parents, coaches, medical professionals, business owners, boot organizers—have been the backbone of this year’s impact. From the bottom of our boots, THANK YOU!
Our Jae Foundation staff-team has grown as well, united by humility, grit, compassion, and a shared belief that lives can change when people are bold enough to talk about mental health. Each member plays a vital role in carrying Jae’s legacy forward.
I want to take this opportunity to personally thank every person who plays a part on the Jae Family Team. THANK YOU! I am blessed beyond description to be on this special team, and I wholeheartedly believe each person on our “roster” makes impact beyond their own understanding. It’s humbling and I am deeply grateful to be able to play my part.
Boots may bring people through the door, but it’s the people that change lives. Thank you for being those people.
A Message From Your New Wyoming Executive Director
Stepping into this role feels both humbling and deeply personal. From the very first experience I witnessed, I felt something I can only describe as alignment. This foundation’s mission—to walk alongside those who are struggling, to break the silence around mental health, and to create connection through conversations—resonates with me on a heart level.
My background is in storytelling, community work, and connection, and the Jae Foundation has allowed me to bring all of that forward in meaningful ways. But beyond professional experience, what I bring to this role is a deep commitment to the Jae Foundation Team, Wyoming, and to every person we serve.
As we move into a new year—one filled with growth, new challenges, and the exciting launch of Jae’s Place Wyoming—please know my door and inbox are open. Your ideas, stories, feedback, and generosity shape this work every day.
Wyoming is ready for more. And with you alongside us, this next chapter is going to be extraordinary.
Looking Ahead
You can look forward to:
• The opening of Jae’s Place Wyoming
• Expanded teen and young adult outreach
• Continued high school senior experiences across the state. We continue to work toward the larger goal of “every senior, every year”
• More community partnerships and mental wellness initiatives
• Growth in volunteer engagement and training
• New opportunities to support and sustain long-term programming
The Jae Foundation’s presence in Wyoming has grown because of all of you—your generosity, your willingness to share the mission, and your belief that this work saves lives. Thank you for standing with us. Thank you for caring. And thank you for helping us build a place where we all belong. Above all, thank you for helping us remain committed to showing up, spreading hope, and reminding people that their lives matter.
With gratitude,
Jansen Curry
Executive Director – Jae Foundation Wyoming
