Message from Kris Kristensen, ALMS Past President

Most of us remember what it was like to go after our first job. Personally, I was scared, didn’t know what to do, or what to say to adults I didn’t know. I was fortunate to have family and friends who gave me the direction and encouragement to take the first steps. That support gave me the personal momentum I needed to eventually succeed. Unfortunately, many young people in our community today lack that support and struggle in taking those necessary initial steps toward becoming an adult. In a time when many local businesses are having trouble finding more people to fill their jobs. The need for job ready young people has never been greater.

All Leaders Must Serve (ALMS), is a (501 c 3) non-profit organization providing mentor-based job readiness and life skills counseling, training and services for Woodland area youth ages 15-25 since 2015. Through the extraordinary vision and dedication of its founder and Executive Director, Jayne Williams, ALMS has trained and assisted over 165 local young people to seek and successfully obtain employment since it’s work began. ALMS’ services are unique and very effective.

Mentoring is a critical element to ALMS’ success. Mentors are volunteers who are talented in their own lives and love to work with young people. ALMS brings these skilled and motivated adults in to help young people determine their goals in life, identify the skills they will need to attain those goals, help them get those skills, show them how to recover and learn from failure, and answer their related questions. ALMS mentors help young people find their self-confidence. They fill in the gaps when young people can’t find this direction from other sources, such as home or school. ALMS provides a training facility in a clubhouse near downtown Woodland where mentors and young people can safely meet and do their work. Important topics of this work include, but not limited to character development, work ethic, public speaking, self-discipline, working with others, and resume writing. Program graduates are ready to compete for a variety of entry level positions, and ALMS helps young people find the job opportunities they are seeking.

ALMS is dedicated and resilient. As the COVID pandemic hit in 2020 health restrictions prevented ALMS from having direct contact with its young people. Yet, ALMS did not quit. ALMS used the time of the pandemic’s social isolation to improve its training facility by adding a computer lab where returning and new ALMS’ young people can learn essential computer skills for the current workforce.  In 2022 ALMS bolstered its training facility with improved broadband internet service. ALMS also developed a Dress for Success boutique where their Job Readiness students can obtain clothing to look their best at their interview and first days on the job. 

As pandemic restrictions have eased, ALMS is actively welcomed young people back to the clubhouse through its ‘Take a Break’ program; restarting its Job Readiness; and conducting Toastmasters programs at both Woodland Community College and Pioneer High School. Altogether, ALMS served 95 young people in 2022. 

As a non-profit organization, ALMS relies primarily on charitable donations from local businesses and citizens. Our supporters include Kiwanis Club of Woodland, Dignity Health, Crist Group, Woodland Reveille Lions, One Hundred Men Who Give a Damn about Yolo County, Firehouse Entertainment, St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, CyberProud, RISE Inc., Yolo Food Bank, All Action Awards, Yolo Federal Credit Union, and Woodland's Rotary Clubs.

Please take a moment to learn more about All Leaders Must Serve by visiting the ALMS website at: https://www.allleadersmustserve.org/.

I joined ALMS as a Board member in 2021 and currently serve as Board President, lending the skills I learned as a local government manager to the cause. I also support ALMS through my financial donations. I do so, because I believe that many young people need this help today, and ALMS has a proven track record of success in providing that help. I encourage my friends and family to consider giving their financial support to ALMS as well. ALMS wants to make its training available to even more young people. With your help we can make this happen.

If you want to Change the Trajectory of a young person's life in 2023, consider making a donation to All Leaders Must Serve (ALMS) today.

To support ALMS AFTER the Big Day of Giving, please go directly to our website (AllLeadersMustServe.org) to make a donation.