Town Pump - Montanans Helping Montanans - Dedicated to Giving Back

We care about the communities we serve. And we follow a simple philosophy set by our founders—Tom and Mary Ann Kenneally—69 years ago: to take care of our customers, our team members, our communities, and our state. Your Montana family is important to our Montana family. All 3,700 Town Pump team members across the state are proud to be Montanans Helping Montanans.

2021 marked the 20th Anniversary of our Help Those in Need campaign partnering with food banks, soup kitchens, and homeless shelters across Montana. Over these 20 years, the campaign has helped raise more than $43 million including over $10 million from the Town Pump Charitable Foundation.

With 1 in 10 Montanans struggling with hunger—including over 35,000 Montana children—we continue to focus on food insecurity through Mail-A-Meal, Meals for Backpacks, Summer Lunch Programs, and No Kid Hungry Montana.

You are invited to visit our website at townpumpfoundation.com. There, you will see the programs we are supporting, as well as a link to our online grant application portal.

Thank you for supporting our Montana-owned-and-operated Town Pump family of businesses. With your patronage, we can continue to support communities across Montana.

“There is no doubt that the past two years will be shadowed by the unprecedented impact of the pandemic on all Montana families. During the most challenging times, we have seen our team members, our community partners, and Montanans come together to support each other to emerge stronger. Together, we have upheld our core mission: Montanans helping Montanans. We look forward to 2022 and continuing our commitment to ensuring that our neighbors have access to basic needs, that education continues to flourish, and our communities continue to strengthen together.” - Mike Kenneally, President - Town Pump Charitable Foundation

READ MORE FROM THE SPECIAL PUBLICATION...

In 2002, Frank Cotton — then the executive director of the Butte Rescue Mission— contacted the Town Pump Charitable Foundation as the Mission was in desperate need of a new freezer. This call led to conversations with food bank partners, and to a greater understanding of their need for financial assistance for expenses such as rent, utilities, repairs, insurance, and for the purchase of perishable food items including meat, dairy, and bread.

In 2002, the foundation worked with 17 food banks in 15 Montana communities, and provided matching grants totaling $50,000. This was the start of the annual “Help Those in Need” campaign to raise much needed funds for our food bank partners.

Each year, new food banks have been added to the annual campaign. Many food banks that are supported in the annual campaign are not located in a community with a Town Pump convenience store, casino, or hotel (see the full list of participating food banks on page 4).

In 2021, the Foundation worked with 103 food banks, soup kitchens, and homeless shelters and provided $1 million in matching grants. New grant recipients this year included student food pantries at Montana Technological University, Montana State University, the University of Montana, MSU Northern, University of Montana Western, and MSU Billings.

Over these 20 years, the campaign has helped raise more than $43 million, including over $10 million in matching funds from the Town Pump Charitable Foundation. The Foundation provides funds without restrictions, allowing local food banks to determine how the money can best be used in their individual communities.

As an outgrowth of our working relationship with food banks, we were made aware of the need for weekend meal programs for school children. The Town Pump Charitable Foundation provides support to many of these food banks through our annual “Meals for Backpacks” program.

We are fortunate to live in a state where people care about their neighbors. Our food banks would not exist if it were not for the hard work and dedication of food bank staff and volunteers. We are all truly Montanans Helping Montanans.

Town Pump is committed to continue our support of food banks, soup kitchens, and homeless shelters across Montana. We are looking forward to the 2022 “Help Those in Need” campaign to help our hungry neighbors.

Jayme Tuomi of Helena, whose husband was diagnosed with cancer, told us “We started using the Helena Food Share because we lost half of our income. I continue to use the Helena Food Share off and on as I need it.”

Stacey Brown of Family Services in Billings commented on the annual campaign, “The Town Pump match is absolutely incredible. What organization matches a community’s giving? What that does is it allows us the ability to purchase food and take care of operational costs.”

Bruce Day of Helena Food Share observed, “On any given week, we are serving between 300 and 500 people and making a difference to these people who find themselves in need.”

Food banks that received grants in 2021:

• Absarokee - Absarokee Area Food Bank

• Augusta - Augusta Food Share

• Alberton - Alberton Community Food Pantry

• Anaconda - Anaconda Project Care

• Arlee - Arlee Community Development Corporation

• Ashland - St. Labre Food Pantry

• Belt - Belt Food Bank

• Big Fork - Big Fork Food Bank

• Big Sky - Big Sky Community Food Bank/ HRDC

• Big Timber - Big Timber Food Bank

• Billings - Billings Food Bank

• Billings - Montana Rescue Mission

• Billings - Family Service, Inc.

• Billings - Hannah House Food Pantry

• Billings - St. Vincent DePaul Billings

• Billings - MSU Billings

• Box Elder - St. Mary Catholic Church

• Bozeman - Gallatin Valley Food Bank

• Bozeman - Bobcat Relief Fund – MSU

• Bridger - Bridger Community Food Bank

• Browning - The Nurturing Center

• Browning - Blackfeet Food Pantry

• Butte - Butte Emergency Food Bank

• Butte - Butte Rescue Mission

• Butte - Montana Tech Foundation (Food Pantry)

• Cascade - Cascade Community Food Bank

• Chester - Loaves and Fishes Food Bank

• Chinook - Chinook Food Bank

• Choteau - Teton County Food Pantry Inc.

• Colstrip - Colstrip Community Food Bank

• Columbia Falls - Columbia Falls Food Bank

• Columbus - Project Hope of Stillwater County

• Conrad - Pondera Food Pantry

• Culbertson - The County Cupboard

• Cut Bank - Harvest Food Pantry

• Darby - Darby Bread Box

• Deer Lodge - Deer Lodge Food Pantry

• Dillon - Beaverhead Community Food Pantry, Inc.

• Dillon - University of Montana Western

• Ennis - Madison Valley Caring and Sharing

• Eureka - Tobacco Valley Food Pantry

• Fairfield - Fairfield Education & Community Association

• Forsyth - Samaritans Pantry

• Ft. Benton - Chouteau County Food Bank

• Glasgow - Valley County Emergency Food Bank

• Glendive - Dawson County Food Bank

• Great Falls - Great Falls FISH, Inc.

• Great Falls - St. Vincent DePaul Society

• Great Falls - Great Falls Rescue Mission

• Great Falls - Helping Hands/1st English

• Evangelical Lutheran Church

• Hamilton - Haven House Food Bank

• Hamilton - Family Shelter of the Bitterroot, Inc.

• Hardin - Helping Hands in Hardin, Inc.

• Havre - Havre Community Food Bank

• Havre - Feed My Sheep Soup Kitchen

• Havre - MSU Northern

• Helena - Helena Food Share

• Hot Springs - Hot Springs Food Pantry

• Joliet - The Joliet Food Bank

• Kalispell - Flathead Food Bank

• Kalispell - Northwest Montana Veterans

• Stand Down & Food Pantry

• Lakeside - West Shore Food Bank

• Lame Deer - Northern Cheyenne Food Bank

• Laurel - Community Hope, Inc.

• Lewistown - Central Montana Community Cupboard

• Libby - Libby Food Pantry

• Livingston - Livingston Food Pantry of Park County

• Lodge Pole - Red Paint Food Pantry

• Malta - Malta Food Bank

• Maxville - Granite County Food Pantry

• Miles City - Custer County Food Bank

• Miles City - Miles City Soup Kitchen

• Missoula - Missoula Food Bank

• Missoula - Poverello Center, Inc.

• Missoula - Hope Rescue Mission

• Missoula - U of M Student Food Pantry

• Noxon - Community Services Fellowship, Inc.

• Plains - Community Food Pantry

• Polson - Polson Loaves & Fish Food Pantry

• Red Lodge - Carbon County Community Food Bank

• Ronan - Bread Basket Food Pantry

• Roundup - Musselshell County Food Bank

• Shelby - Sagebrush Food Pantry

• Shepherd - Shepherd Food Pantry

• Sheridan - Ruby Valley Food Pantry

• Sidney - Richland County Food Bank

• Sidney - Fellowship Food Pantry

• St. Ignatius - Mission Valley Food Pantry

• Stanford - Judith Basin Food Pantry

• Statewide - Essential Eats Distributors

• Statewide - Montana Food Bank Network

• Stevensville - Stevensville Pantry Partners Food Bank

• Superior - Community Food Bank of Mineral County

• Thompson Falls - Community Harvest Food Bank

• Thompson Falls - Gospel Mountain Assembly of God Food Pantry

• Three Forks - Headwaters Area Food Bank

• Townsend - Broadwater Food Pantry

• Troy - Troy Food Pantry

• Twin Bridges - Helping Hand Food Pantry

• West Yellowstone - West Yellowstone Food Bank

• White Sulphur Springs - Meagher County Nutrition Coalition

• Whitefish - North Valley Food Bank

• Whitehall - Whitehall Area Food Pantry

• Whitehall - Sincerely Paul Feeding His Sheep

• Wolf Point - Montana Food Bank Network

• Yaak - The Yaak Food Cupboard

The face of hunger is hard to see. It takes many forms. During our fall “Help Those in Need” campaign we attempted to put a face to hunger. Several Montana residents offered their assistance.

Matt Curtin, a Missoula Veteran and former Poverello Center resident, said, “I never thought about a food bank until I became homeless. Now, thanks to so many, I’m eating healthy.”

Jayme Tuomi of Helena, whose husband was diagnosed with cancer, told us “We started using the Helena Food Share because we lost half of our income. I continue to use the Helena Food Share off and on as I need it.”

Stacey Brown of Family Services in Billings commented on the annual campaign, “The Town Pump match is absolutely incredible. What organization matches a community’s giving? What that does is it allows us the ability to purchase food and take care of operational costs.”

Bruce Day of Helena Food Share observed, “On any given week, we are serving between 300 and 500 people and making a difference to these people who find   themselves in need.”

Food banks that received grants in 2021:

·         Absarokee - Absarokee Area Food Bank

·         Augusta - Augusta Food Share

·         Alberton - Alberton Community Food Pantry

·         Anaconda - Anaconda Project Care

·         Arlee - Arlee Community Development Corporation

·         Ashland - St. Labre Food Pantry

·         Belt - Belt Food Bank

·         Big Fork - Big Fork Food Bank

·         Big Sky - Big Sky Community Food Bank/ HRDC

·         Big Timber - Big Timber Food Bank

·         Billings - Billings Food Bank

·         Billings - Montana Rescue Mission

·         Billings - Family Service, Inc.

·         Billings - Hannah House Food Pantry

·         Billings - St. Vincent DePaul Billings

·         Billings  - MSU Billings

·         Box Elder - St. Mary Catholic Church

·         Bozeman - Gallatin Valley Food Bank

·         Bozeman - Bobcat Relief Fund – MSU

·         Bridger - Bridger Community Food Bank

·         Browning  - The Nurturing  Center

·         Browning - Blackfeet Food Pantry

·         Butte - Butte Emergency Food Bank

·         Butte - Butte Rescue Mission

·         Butte - Montana Tech Foundation  (Food Pantry)

·         Cascade - Cascade Community Food Bank

·         Chester - Loaves and Fishes Food Bank

·         Chinook - Chinook Food Bank

·         Choteau - Teton County Food Pantry Inc.

·         Colstrip - Colstrip Community Food Bank

·         Columbia Falls - Columbia Falls Food Bank

·         Columbus - Project Hope of Stillwater County

·         Conrad - Pondera Food Pantry

·         Culbertson - The County Cupboard

·         Cut Bank - Harvest Food Pantry

·         Darby - Darby Bread Box

·         Deer Lodge - Deer Lodge Food Pantry

·         Dillon - Beaverhead Community Food Pantry, Inc.

·         Dillon - University of Montana Western

·         Ennis - Madison Valley Caring and Sharing

·         Eureka - Tobacco Valley Food Pantry

·         Fairfield - Fairfield Education & Community Association

·         Forsyth - Samaritans Pantry

·         Ft. Benton - Chouteau County Food Bank

·         Glasgow - Valley County Emergency Food Bank

·         Glendive - Dawson County Food Bank

·         Great Falls - Great Falls FISH, Inc.

·         Great Falls - St. Vincent DePaul Society

·         Great Falls - Great Falls Rescue Mission

·         Great Falls - Helping Hands/1st English

·         Evangelical Lutheran Church

·         Hamilton - Haven House Food Bank

·         Hamilton - Family Shelter of the Bitterroot, Inc.

·         Hardin - Helping Hands in Hardin, Inc.

·         Havre - Havre Community Food Bank

·         Havre - Feed My Sheep Soup Kitchen

·         Havre - MSU Northern

·         Helena - Helena Food Share

·         Hot Springs - Hot Springs Food Pantry

·         Joliet - The Joliet Food Bank

·         Kalispell - Flathead Food Bank

·         Kalispell - Northwest Montana Veterans

·         Stand Down & Food Pantry

·         Lakeside - West Shore Food Bank

·         Lame Deer - Northern Cheyenne Food Bank

·         Laurel - Community Hope, Inc.

·         Lewistown - Central Montana Community Cupboard

·         Libby - Libby Food Pantry

·         Livingston - Livingston Food Pantry of Park County

·         Lodge Pole - Red Paint Food Pantry

·         Malta - Malta Food Bank

·         Maxville - Granite County Food Pantry

·         Miles City - Custer County Food Bank

·         Miles City - Miles City Soup Kitchen

·         Missoula - Missoula Food Bank

·         Missoula - Poverello Center, Inc.

·         Missoula - Hope Rescue Mission

·         Missoula - U of M Student Food Pantry

·         Noxon - Community Services Fellowship, Inc.

·         Plains - Community Food Pantry

·         Polson - Polson Loaves & Fish Food Pantry

·         Red Lodge - Carbon County Community Food Bank

·         Ronan - Bread Basket Food Pantry

·         Roundup - Musselshell County Food Bank

·         Shelby - Sagebrush Food Pantry

·         Shepherd - Shepherd Food Pantry

·         Sheridan - Ruby Valley Food Pantry

·         Sidney - Richland County Food Bank

·         Sidney - Fellowship Food Pantry

·         St. Ignatius - Mission Valley Food Pantry

·         Stanford - Judith Basin Food Pantry

·         Statewide - Essential Eats Distributors

·         Statewide - Montana Food Bank Network

·         Stevensville - Stevensville Pantry Partners Food Bank

·         Superior - Community Food Bank of Mineral County

·         Thompson Falls - Community Harvest Food Bank

·         Thompson Falls - Gospel Mountain Assembly of God Food Pantry

·         Three Forks - Headwaters Area Food Bank

·         Townsend - Broadwater Food Pantry

·         Troy - Troy Food Pantry

·         Twin Bridges - Helping Hand Food Pantry

·         West Yellowstone - West Yellowstone Food Bank

·         White Sulphur Springs - Meagher County Nutrition Coalition

·         Whitefish - North Valley Food Bank

·         Whitehall - Whitehall Area Food Pantry

·         Whitehall - Sincerely Paul Feeding His Sheep

·         Wolf Point - Montana  Food Bank Network 

·         Yaak - The Yaak Food Cupboard

All of these donations are forwarded to the food banks, food pantries and soup kitchens in the communities in which they were received in. There are no restrictions on how the food banks use these funds; the local boards make these decisions.

In 2021, through your generosity, $456,439 was raised statewide! This will provide 1.5 million wholesome meals for our Montana neighbors in need.

Town Pump 2021 Collections by Community:

• Anaconda........................ $5,937

• Belgrade/Bozeman ........$37,167

• Big Timber....................... $7,571

• Billings .......................... $26,874

• Boulder ........................... $5,533

• Browning ........................ $1,046

• Butte ............................... $51,194

• Chinook .......................... $4,756

• Colstrip ............................. $284

• Columbia Falls ............... $5,528

• Columbus ......................... $2,111

• Conrad ............................ $6,160

• Cut Bank ......................... $3,330

• Deer Lodge ..................... $5,519

• Dillon .............................. $5,972

• Ennis ................................ $3,317

• Eureka .............................. $1,579

• Forsyth ............................. $1,195

• Glendive........................... $1,142

• Great Falls..................... $36,935

• Hamilton........................ $10,861

• Hardin ............................. $2,504

• Havre ............................... $4,804

• Helena ............................ $27,541

• Kalispell ......................... $30,110

• Laurel ............................... $3,612

• Lewistown....................... $3,699

• Libby................................ $4,548

• Livingston ..................... $15,956

• Miles City ...................... $5,627

• Missoula Area including

• Bonner, Lolo, & Florence .. $40,384

• Plains ............................... $11,514

• Polson............................... $5,171

• Red Lodge....................... $1,030

• Ronan ................................. $197

• Shelby ............................... $8,127

• Sidney.............................. $3,838

• Stevensville ..................... $5,150

• Superior .......................... $1,954

• Thompson Falls............... $4,781

• Three Forks.................... $12,955

• Townsend......................... $5,413

• Troy ................................ $10,035

• White Sulphur Springs..........9,553

• Whitefish ........................ $2,722

• Whitehall ....................... $10,629

• Wolf Point.......................... $571

2021 TOTAL COLLECTED: $456,439

Town Pump has donated $10 Million in matching funds, contributing to the total of $43 million that has been donated to the food banks of Montana.

In Missoula, the Missoula Food Bank and Community Center provides weekend meals through their “Kids Empower Pack.” In Great Falls, the Great Falls Community Food Bank provides meals to all Great Falls Schools through their “Backpacks4Kids” program. And in Helena, nearly 1,000 backpack meals go home every weekend through their “Kid Packs” program.

While “backpack meals” may be unique to each Montana community, a “back pack” will include enough food to replace the meals a child would receive in school (e.g., two breakfast options, two lunch options, two snack options, a can of fruit, and a can of vegetables).

Federal reimbursement is not available for the food provided by backpack programs. Most Montana backpack programs are run through food banks, food pantries, schools, and civic organizations that are already providing emergency and supplemental food assistance for families in need. These groups are dependent on grants, donations, and fundraisers to cover their costs.

The Town Pump Charitable Foundation began funding “backpack” programs in 2016.

Children experiencing hunger are more likely to have problems with memory and concentration because they do not have enough energy. The brain requires energy to function, and without the right nutrients, the brain cannot develop properly, resulting in long term effects on learning abilities.

By providing kids with the nutrients they need when they are away from school, they show up on Monday morning healthy and ready to learn. 

“Thank you for being a part of creating a hunger-free community. A community where kids don't have to fear the coming of the weekend because they aren't sure where or when their next meal will be coming. Thank you for helping to give these children the gift of childhood where they have enough food and nutrition to learn, to grow, and to play — you know, kid stuff.” - Bruce Day Executive Director Helena Food Share

In 2021, the Foundation awarded 84 grants totaling $525,000 to backpack programs. Organizations in the following communities received 2021 Meals for Backpacks grants totaling $525,000:

• Anaconda
• Arlee
• Ashland
• Belt
• Bigfork
• Billings
• Boulder
• Bozeman
• Browning
• Butte
• Charlo
• Columbia Falls
• Columbus
• Conrad
• Corvallis
• Cut Bank
• Darby
• Deer Lodge
• Drummond
• Florence
• Fort Benton
• Frazer
• Fromberg
• Glendive
• Gold Creek
• Great Falls
• Hamilton
• Hardin
• Harlem
• Harlowton
• Havre
• Hear t Butte
• Helena
• Hinsdale
• Huntley Project
• Kalispell
• Lakeside
• Lame Deer
• Laurel
• Lewistown
• Libby
• Livingston
• Lockwood
• Lodge Grass
• Lodge Pole
• Miles City
• Missoula
• Pablo
• Polson
• Pryor
• Red Lodge
• Rocky Boy
• Ronan
• Shelby
• Shepherd
• Sidney
• St. Ignatius
• St. Regis
• Stevensville
• Superior
• Thompson Falls/
• Plains
• Townsend
• Troy
• Westby
• Whitefish
• Wolf Point

These grants support STEM education within the communities we serve, allowing students to connect what they learn in the classroom with what they see in the real world.

ExxonMobil Public & Government Affairs Representative Dan Carter, who is based in Billings, relayed its corporate philosophy, "The ExxonMobil Educational Alliance program is a nationwide collaborative effort between the company and branded wholesalers and retailers to fund math and science programs to schools in need. In Montana, ExxonMobil is honored to work with the Town Pump Charitable Foundation and its stores to support schools across the state so that they can truly create ‘aha’ moments for their students."

Our thanks to ExxonMobil for sharing our commitment to giving back to our Montana communities.

“Thank you for the generous $500 grant.The Mystery Science program's higher-level thinking expectations will reach more students and get them excited about science. The grant will be used to fund the subscription for our entire student body.” - Mrs. Selig, Forsyth Public Schools

Schools receiving grants totaling $38,000 included:

• Lincoln Elementary - Anaconda

• Fred Moodry Middle School - Anaconda

• Ridge View Elementary - Belgrade

• Big Timber Elementary School - Big Timber

• Boulder Elementary School - Billings

• Arrowhead Elementary School - Billings

• Bonner School - Bonner

• Boulder Elementary School - Boulder

• Hawthorne School - Bozeman

• Chief Joseph Middle School - Bozeman

• Longfellow School - Bozeman

• Emily Dickinson School - Bozeman

• Irving Elementary School - Bozeman

• Hawthorne Elementary School - Bozeman

• Vina Chattin Elementary School - Browning

• Browning Elementary – Browning

• Whittier School - Butte

• Kennedy Elementary School - Butte

• Emerson Elementary School - Butte

• Butte High School - Butte

• Hillcrest Elementary School - Butte

• East Middle School - Butte

• Margaret Leary School - Butte

• West Elementary School - Butte

• Meadowlark School - Chinook

• Frank Brattin Middle School - Colstrip

• Pine Butte Elementary School - Colstrip

• Ruder Elementary School - Columbia Falls

• Glacier Gateway Elementary - Columbia Falls

• Columbus Middle School - Columbus

• Columbus Elem School - Columbus

• Meadowlark School - Conrad

• Conrad Elementary - Conrad

• HC Davis Elementary - Cut Bank

• Anna Jeffries Elementary - Cut Bank

• O D Speer School - Deer Lodge

• Parkview School - Dillon

• Dillon Middle School - Dillon

• Radley Elementary School - East Helena

• Ennis School - Ennis

• Eureka Elementary School - Eureka

• Forsyth Elementary School - Forsyth

• Sacajawea School - Great Falls

• Roosevelt Elementary School - Great Falls

• Hamilton Middle School - Hamilton

• Washington School - Hamilton

• Hardin Primary - Hardin

• Sunnyside School - Havre

• Kessler School - Helena

• Jim Darcy School - Helena

• Smith Elementary School - Helena

• Helmville School - Helmville

• Cornelius Hedges School - Kalispell

• Garfield School - Lewistown

• Libby Elementary School - Libby

• B A Winans School - Livingston

• Lolo Elementary - Lolo

• Woodman School - Lolo

• Garfield Elementary - Miles City

• Jefferson School - Miles City

• Lowell School - Missoula

• Russell School - Missoula

• Plains Elementary School - Plains

• Linderman School - Polson

• Ramsay School - Ramsay

• K William Harvey Elementary - Ronan

• Shelby Elementary School - Shelby

• Superior Elementary - Superior

• Thompson Falls Elementary School - Thompson Falls

• Three Forks Elem School - Three Forks

• Cecelia Hazelton School - Townsend

• W F Morrison School - Troy

• White Sulphur Springs Elementary - White

• Sulphur Springs

• L A Muldown School - Whitefish

• Whitehall Elementary - Whitehall

• Northside School - Wolf Point

The Town Pump Charitable Foundation’s Keep Kids Reading program was designed to offer financial assistance to libraries across Montana which offer a summer reading program.

The grants could be used for books, prizes, snacks, staffing and other materials needed for a successful program.

A successful summer reading program takes hard work and commitment on the part of librarians, library staff, and volunteers. These individuals have provided an opportunity for children to sharpen their reading skills while enjoying the amenities of our local libraries.

They are truly Montanans helping Montanans.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: townpumpfoundation.com/reading

Organizations receiving 2021 Keep Kids Reading grants totaling $76,000:

• Beartooth Elementary School

• Belgrade Community Library

• Big Horn County Library

• Billings Public Library

• Bitterroot Public Library

• Boulder Community Library

• Bozeman Public Library Foundation

• Broadwater School & Community Library

• Broadwater Social Services Committee

• Butte Silver Bow Public Library

• Carnegie Public Library - Big Timber

• Chief Dull Knife College

• Chouteau County Library Foundation

• Columbia Falls High School

• Columbia Falls School District

• Community, Counseling, and Correctional Services, Inc.

• Conrad Public Library

• Daniels County Library

• Darby Community Public Library

• Dillon Public Library

• Drummond School & Community Library

• Education Foundation for Billings Public Schools

• Ekalaka Public Library

• Fallon County Library, Inc.

• Friends of Madison Valley Public Library

• Friends of the Bicentennial Library of Colstrip

• Friends of the Big Sky Community Library

• Friends of the Bridger Library

• Friends of the Lewistown Public Library

• Friends of the Liberty County

• Library Friends of the Meagher County-City

• Library Friends of the Roosevelt County

• Library Friends of the Thompson Falls Library

• Friends of the Whitehall Community Library

• George McCone Memorial County Library

• Glacier County Library

• Memorial Foundation Glasgow City-County Library

• Glendive Public Library

• Great Falls Public Library

• Harlem Public Library

• Harlowton Public Library

• Havre-Hill County Library Foundation

• Hearst Free Library - Anaconda

• Imagine IF Library Foundation LaMotte School

• Lewis & Clark Library

• Lincoln County Library Foundation (Libby)

• Lincoln County Library Foundation (Troy)

• Livingston - Park County Library

• Livingston School District - East Side School Library

• Manhattan Community Library

• Miles City Public Library

• Mineral County Public Library

• Missoula Public Library - Lolo Branch

• Moore School

• North Lake County Public Library

• North Valley Public Library - Stevensville

• Park City School Library

• Philipsburg Area Community Library

• Prairie County Library

• Radley Elementary School- East Helena

• Red Lodge Carnegie Library

• Richey Public Library

• Sidney-Richland County Library

• Stanford Library Guild

• Stillwater County Library

• Sunburst Branch Library

• Toole County Library

• Twin Bridges Public Library

• United Way of Yellowstone County

• Valier Public Library

• Wedsworth Memorial Library - Cascade

• West Shore Community Library

• West Valley School - Kalispell

• Whitefish Library Association

• William K. Kohrs Memorial Library

We hope you will enjoy reading about these groups and appreciate their commitment to making Montana a better place to live. Included with each spotlight is contact information for each organization, should you want to learn more about the organization or wish to support them through donations of time or money.

Additional grants awarded in 2021 - totaling $805,850

Anaconda

• Anaconda Community Foundation Community, Counseling, and Correctional Services, Inc.

• Pintler Pets

Belgrade

• Belgrade Senior Center

Belt

• Belt Food Bank

Big Timber

• Four Winds Ministries

Billings

• Adult Resource Alliance

• Angela's Piazza

• Chinook Horses

• GFWC Billings Junior Women's Club

• Children's Foundation

• Gratitude in Action

• Horses Spirits Healing, Inc. Newman PTA

• P. E. A. K. S.

Boulder

• Boulder River Carousel & Amusements, Inc.

Bozeman

• Bozeman High School

• Children's Museum of Bozeman, Inc.

• Family Promise of Gallatin Valley

• Greater Gallatin United Way

• HAVEN

• Montana Independent Living Project

• Sage Gardeners

Butte

• Action, Inc.

• Butte Central Catholic High School

• Butte Rescue Mission

• Butte-Silver Bow Council on Aging

• Career Futures, Inc. Child Bridge, Inc.

• Connecting for a Cancer Cure

• I-15 / I-90 Search Rescue

• MainStreet Uptown Butte

• Montana Tech Foundation

• New Hope Pregnancy Clinic

• Orphan Girl Children's Theatre

• The Butte Literacy Program

• The Mother Lode Theatre

• United Way of Butte & Anaconda

Carter

• Chouteau County Cancer Support Group

Columbia Falls

• Badrock Fire & QRU

Culbertson

• Roosevelt Memorial Healthcare Foundation

• Town of Culbertson

Deer Lodge

• Powell County High School

• Dillon Beaverhead Community Wood Bank Ministry, Inc.

• New Hope Pregnancy Support Center of Dillon

Eureka

• Tobacco Valley Board of History

Fairfield

• Town of Fairfield

• Fairfield Volunteer Fire Department

Geraldine

• Geraldine Community Ambulance

Glendive

• Friends of Makoshika

• Makoshika Wellness, Inc.

Great Falls

• Alliance for Youth, Inc.

• Electric City Lions Club

• Great Falls Clinic Legacy Foundation

• Great Falls Scottish Rite

• Childhood Language Clinic

• Kelly's Closet

• Sunburst Unlimited, Inc.

• United Way of Cascade County

• YWCA - Great Falls

Hamilton

• Laundry Love Hamilton

• Sapphire Community Health

Havre

• Havre Lions Parents Swim Club

• Plant A Seed READ

Helena

• Career Training Institute

• Florence Crittenton Home & Services

• Helena Public Schools

• Helena Symphony

• Helena YMCA

• Lewis and Clark Literacy Council

• Mending Waters Montana

• Montana History Center

• Montana Veterans Foundation

• Options Clinic

• Prickly Pear Fireworks

• The Alex Foundation

• The Angel Fund

• Vigilante District - Boy Scouts of America

Kalispell

• Alano Club of Kalispell, Inc.

• Flathead Warming Center

• Greater Valley Health Center

• Human Therapy on Horseback

• Samaritan House

• Youth Dynamics

Lakeside

• Habitat for Humanity of Flathead Valley

Laurel

• Laurel American Legion Auxiliary

• Laurel Hometown Troops

• Laurel Montana Community Foundation, Inc.

Lavina

• Lavina Public School

Livingston

• ASPEN

• Friends of the Community, Inc.

Marion

• Marion School

Missoula

• Boys & Girls Club of Missoula County

• Brain Injury Alliance of Montana

• Center for Music by People with Disabilities

• Families First Learning Lab

• Foundation for Community Health

• Garden City Harvest

• Habitat for Humanity Missoula

• Missoula Aging Services Missoula Education Foundation

• Missoula MOR4Kids

• Mountain Home

• Montana Red Willow Learning Center

• River of Life Ministries

• Soft Landing Missoula

• St. Paul Lutheran Church

• Watson Children's Shelter

• YWCA Missoula

Philipsburg

• Braach Shepherds 4 Veterans, Inc.

Plains

• Church on the Move

• Plains-Paradise Senior Citizens Association

Red Lodge

• Red Lodge Area Community Foundation

• Red Lodge Senior Club

Rocky Boy

• Essential Eats

Ronan

• SAFE Harbor

Roundup

• Roundup Evangelical Bible Church

Shelby

• Northern Transit Interlocal

• Youth Dynamics, Inc.

Sheridan

• Firewood Bank of the Ruby Valley

• Sheridan Wrestling Club

St. Ignatius

• Lake County Community Support

Stevensville

• Coding for Kids

• Stevensville Garden Club

Townsend

• STOKE

Statewide

• CASA of Montana

• Homeward for Heroes

• K9 Care Montana, Inc.

• Leadership Montana

• Montana Association for the Blind

• Montana Cattlemen's Association Foundation

• Montana East-West Shrine Game

• Montana Hope Project

• No Kid Hungry

• Montana - DPHHS Producer Partnership

Operation Disconnect to Reconnect is an Old West Montana Trek that Dan Reese and Laura Reese organize from Kalispell. Spouses, law enforcement, firefighters and first responders are also welcome.

“These participants will not only be enjoying Montana's history, but it will facilitate our mission. Our goal is to get them to open up on their hardships and create a bond with others,” said Dan Reese, adding that settings include key campsite campfires in remote locations.

“Being a 20-year veteran myself, I have noticed that veterans trust veterans. We will share our service-connected hardship (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder) experiences with each other,” added Dan, a 20-year military vet himself and Sergeant first class in the Montana National Guard.

Last July, Town Pump helped HH guide 23 veterans—women and men, ages 19 to 75—on a 10-day trip to “disconnect to reconnect” in what the Reeses dub the Old West Montana Trek

Traveling by caravan in their own vehicles, vets followed the Reese’s’ lead Jeep. They started in the Bitterroot.

Wilderness and hit Lost Trail Pass, Bannack State Park, Elkhorn State Park, Nevada City, Virginia City, Butte, Wicks Tunnel near Boulder, Helena ghost towns and toured the Old Prison in Deer Lodge.

The group finished at Herd 2 Human Ranch Equestrian Center, an equine-assisted therapy partner located in Clinton, Montana that helps vets and first responders alleviate PTSD and Traumatic Brain Injury.

“We like to network with other non-profits as much as possible,” said Laura. Town Pump covered fuel costs, food, activities, and some camping fees at national forests or Bureau of Land Management sites. “That’s in a nutshell how Town Pump helps us,” said Laura. “With rising gas prices, it really helps us fund our gas. That’s a huge help for us.”

Last summer’s fires, however, rerouted the trekkers a bit.

“It was fairly hot, and the fires took us in different directions,” said Laura. “It’s a short summer season, but we do as many as we can in Montana.”

As for savory campfire food, HH provides gift cards, based on a governmental per diem, to participants.

“Everybody has different dietary needs,” she said. “We have dinner together when we are camping, but people can provide their own food, as well. Nothing is paid out of pocket by them.”

Homeward for Heroes has existed since 2015, but the nonprofit status started in 2018, when funders began backing the treks.

“We were shelling out of our own pockets before,” said Dan.

On top of five treks per year, including Moab, Utah, for hundreds of vets, the Reese’s also offer crucial meet-and-greet events around Montana for thousands.

Their goals are to help vets cope with PTSD, suicide prevention and reintroduce them back into society after traumatic deployments.

“We try to surround veterans with other vets on treks as an extended family so no one fights their battles alone,” said Laura.

Last year, in the Flathead Valley alone, the Reese’s and their board of directors helped prevent 15 suicides among vets “just by reaching out.”

Dan understands their plight, as he served eight years as an active-duty United States Marine, four years in active-duty U.S. Army and eight years in the National Guard. He experienced dangerous uprisings in the Philippines and Desert Storm and twice deployed to Afghanistan.

“My inspiration was for everything that I’ve been through and fellow soldiers that I’ve lost,” he said. “I’ve wondered, ‘What was the difference between them and me? Why was it them and not me?’ I had an epiphany, sitting at the campfire. With that, we started doing Homeward for Heroes with some close friends before we were a nonprofit.”

One Navy corpsman, disabled and suffering from PTSD, did not talk on his first HH trek. On his second trek, he slowly opened up, then by his third trek, he was talking.

A typical trek begins with a light-hearted introductory campfire. The days include building and traveling, campfire rules and sharing activities in which vets write down personal demons and toss them into the fire. They also release balloons into the night that symbolically help them release burdens. “We kinda build on it all week,” said Dan, who personally has walked in on fellow soldiers’ suicide at- tempts. “When you get into some of these PTSD triggers, it can be very scary, so we put rules out there for them to follow. We don’t record it. It's all about that deep bond and trust.”

The July trek drew many more vets than during the 2020 pandemic, when only nine participated. The latest adventure was the second time Town Pump donated to the program. Growing in popularity, the trek lists filled up in three days last spring.

“We had $3,000 in the checking account at the time,” said Dan.

“So Town Pump made this possible,” added Laura.

Additional do- nations from the Whitefish Com- munity Foundation and anonymous matching donors, HH raised $6,200 in one day for the 2021 trek. Staying reconnected remains a main goal, as Homeward for Heroes invites all trek alumni to a bigger reunion next year.

The monthly meetings in the Flathead give vets a place to go for the holidays, too.

“We cook, we sit around the campfire, we do various activities, for Thanksgiving and Christmas,” said Laura. “We cook for 20-something vets. We open that to as many veterans who want to go.”

Calling from the Mojave Desert recently, the Reese’s are all in. Recently they took part in a Warriors Run for Veterans, a vehicle-driven fundraiser separate from Homeward for Heroes.

“By sharing these trouble memories with each other, it will start the healing process and create a bond. By end of our trek, we will have made new friends to lean on in a time of need,” said Dan.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Cell (406) 471-0513

homewardforheroes.org

Facebook.com/homeward4heroes

info@homewardforheroes.org

“The funding we receive from Town Pump is solely used for the operational cost of the transit,” said Transit Coordinator David R. Irvin.

"NTI is very thankful for companies like Town Pump who give back to their communities. Without corporate donations, we would not be able to provide no-cost transportation to the many people in our area who so desperately need our services." - David R. Irvin, Executive Director - Northern Transit Interlocal

All routes and rides come at no cost, but passengers have an option to donate. The most popular route from Shelby to Great Falls logged 8,031 rides in fiscal year 2021.

In the same time frame, the route from Shelby to Kalispell logged 4,874 rides. Altogether, local rides to and from Browning, Conrad, Cut Bank, Shelby, Sunburst, Sweetgrass and Valier drew 3,867 rides.

Irvin attributes passengers traveling to medical appointments in Great Falls and Kalispell for the busiest routes.

“However, this past year we had a major increase in ridership from Canadian citizens going from Great Falls to the Sweetgrass Border,” he added.

Open to the general public, NTI draws mainly from the 25-to-40 age group. Retired folks, deemed “Medicare travelers,” who may travel from Great Falls to the Canadian border – perhaps to buy less-expensive medications—also comprise the largest rider demographic.

Northern Transit Interlocal, a partnership of Toole County Transit, Glacier County Transit and Pondera County Transit, was founded in 2007. It has provided over 75,000 rides since then, including a re-cord 16,123 rides in 2019.

The Montana Department of Transportation primarily funds NTI and its partners. Local governments, corporate donations and passenger donations also fund the no-cost transportation to the general public.

“NTI has grown considerably since 2007 and continues to improve upon the service it pro-vides our local communities,” said Irvin, who came on board as executive director in 2016.

Awarded the Montana Transit of the Year in 2018 and in 2020, NTI uses joyful slogans: “Enjoy the Ride” and “Get on the bus/Leave the driving to us!”

“NTI employees take pride in what we do and love to help the communities we serve,” said Irvin. “We take safety first and in our 13 years of service there has never been an accident with passengers on board. We have a very supportive board of directors that work with me, so we all understand what goals we have for the future of NTI with growth. No matter who and where we serve, you will get first class transportation from NTI.”

COVID put a wrench into numbers, as NTI experienced a 54% reduction in ridership from April 2020 to January2021. The pandemic shut down the business for two full weeks in April 2020, but since then NTI logged 19,372 rides.

“However, since January 2021 to the current date, we are seeing an 18% re-bound in ridership. I believe we could be back to a normal ridership in another years’ time.”

NTI employs nine transportation drivers and 11 workers total.

Deb Brandon, a former Toole County commissioner, and Page Nagy, former transit coordinator, were instrumental in getting NTI off the ground.

Since Irvin boarded, he has boosted Internet technology to make it easier for passengers to decipher the schedule and secure reservations online.

Irvin said NTI is one of many public transportation companies in Montana that uses a similar business model. “In my opinion, NTI is unique with the ways we have been able to reach out to people, so they understand how our system works. We continue to improve upon ways passengers can understand how our no-cost transportation can assist them.”

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Bus Routes & Schedules northern.rural-transit.com

General Info: facebook.com/northerntransitinterlocal

The modular plant, scheduled for set-up by the end of December, is a dream come true for Pierson, his wife Kris Pierson and partner Dan Walker – leaders of an all-volunteer five-member nonprofit board, whose ultimate mission is to help end hunger throughout Montana.

The Town Pump Charitable Foundation donated $30,000 to The Producer Partnership that will make a big dent in processing the donated meat.

“Not bad for an organization founded only nine months earlier,” said Pierson. “Since the beginning of February 2021, we have received, processed, and distributed over 20,000 pounds of meat, supported by generous operating cost donations.”

The new USDA-approved, local plant will allow the organization to process on-site its own beef, rather than outsourcing it to other processing plants, which can get expensive.

“Creating a local, USDA-approved nonprofit facility bolsters our work, but does not compete with other small Montana-based processors,” said Pierson.

All the hamburger then is donated locally and to the Montana Food Bank Network. The Livingston Food Resource Center was the first recipient.

Generous ranchers donate their “cull” cattle to the cause, then The Producer Partnership facilitates the processing of the meat.

“The donated $30,000 is to help for processing, so we use that money,” Pierson said. “We’ve already used most of it up on processing. We have not stopped processing animals, even though we’re building this (plant).”

"This protein is so important and provides tremendous nutritional value found in Montana grown and raised, high-quality, beef and pork which otherwise they would not be able to afford." - Brent Weisgram Vice President / COO Montana Food Bank Network

As of November, The Producer Partnership’s ongoing capital campaign had raised nearly $2 million of a $2.2 million goal to cover the operations budget for the new processing facility, he said. A long list of donors big and small appears at ProducerPartnership.com.

“Last year, we turned away more live animals than I’d like to admit because we couldn’t find and kill and process date, so we were forced to go to an expensive processor out of state. I knew we needed something of our own to reduce processing fees, insure we could process animals on demand, and if we truly want to end hunger in Montana, at least with hamburger, we needed our own processing plant.”

The Montana Food Bank Network next takes the reigns.

“Then we recover the donations when ready and use our statewide distribution network of over 150 statewide community pantries, shelters, and senior centers, who then ensure it is getting to those truly in need,” said Brent Weisgram, MFBN vice president/COO.

Currently, Producer Partnership contracts with federally inspected processing plants, including Yellowstone River Beef in Williston, ND, which he called “awesome.”

“Within the next month, we’ll begin the long process of putting (the plant) together. The best way to think of it is as a giant Lego set. It will have the capacity of doing 15 head of cattle per day and it will be a multi-use facility -- everything from a goat to a bison. We have processed some other animals, but getting them in to these other facilities due to hunting season is pretty much impossible.”

Pierson, a fifth-generation cattle ranch-statewide network of farmers and ranchers working to end hunger in Montana.

In 2020 alone, after Pierson and friend conjured the idea for the nonprofit, 28 donor-producers and the Produce Partnership processed 138 animals, generating 53,345 pounds of donated meat to those experiencing food insecurity.

“We’re hitting the high time of the year…the end of the year when people start culling other animals. Everything goes into the foodbank; everything we do will help with the holidays.”

On top of those stunning numbers, a total of 64 individuals, foundations and corporations contributed $150,794 in cash, covering all the costs of animal processing for the year.

The Producer Partnership processes custom beef orders, too, and sells directly to the consumer.

“That’s the farm-to-plate business model that we work with,” said Pierson.

Partnerships with several key players in the beef industry bolsters the organization’s gravitas: Northern Ag Network, Montana Beef Council, American Farm Bureau and the Montana Stock Growers Association endorses the building firm north of Seattle is constructing the modular unit, eventually moved to Livingston for set-up sometime during the holidays.

Pierson, who serves as president of The Producer Partnership board alongside Vice President Walker, Treasurer Kris Pierson and board members Scott Kessler and Anne Buckley, foresees great production in the near future.

“We hope to start processing our donated livestock by the end of 2021. Phase One of our processing plant will have the capacity to process up to 300 animals per month, easily meeting the protein needs of all Montanans served by the Montana Food Bank Network,” said Pierson.

As for production, The Producer Partnership had secured 22,822 pounds of hamburger as of mid-November leading up to the holidays to provide Montana Food Bank Network, located in Missoula. “Our second-year stretch goal is provide the MFBN with 106,700 pounds of hamburger for the entire year,” he said. “Under the current processing fee ($3 per pound), it will cost $320,000 to process all this meat,” he said.

Deep in the middle of the holidays, hunting season and winter, Producer Partnership and dedicated donors –such as Town Pump – volunteers, board directors, producers and collaborative processors provide much-needed food for Montanans struggling with food insecurity.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

producerpartnership.com

facebook.com/ProducerPartnership

Horses Spirits Healing planned to use the funding specifically for equine-assisted activities and therapy sessions, many for veterans suffering from PTSD—who comprise a big percentage of clients.

Vets’ family members, including spouses and children, plus first responders and community members, round out the clientele.

“As far as I know, we’re the only center of significance that does equine therapy on the scale that we do it. We’re the only ones that do it for veterans, as far as I know,” said Gatzemeier, a retired energy executive, an owner of Intermountain Equestrian Center, and president of HSHI.

Intermountain Equestrian Center, 7256 Highway 3 in Billings, houses the nonprofit. It is located nearly 7 miles northwest of town.

Reportedly, about 200 premiere accredited equine therapy centers exist throughout the United States, including the Billings one and one in Bozeman. In 2020, a total of 57 veterans completed the estimated 1,200 equine-assisted sessions that follow an active-participation model.

“Total sessions for 2020 were about 10% higher than our total session’s for 2019,” said Gatzemeier.

A key ingredient to the success of HSHI is the crew of volunteers who donate time, energy and expertise to the therapy program.

In the 12 months making up 2020, they conducted 650 veteran volunteer sessions and about 1,000 family sessions. Veteran family members participated in about 50 of those. Veteran family members often include children or grandchildren.

According to early estimates, Gatzemeier expected 2021 clientele to increase about 40 percent above the 2020 participant numbers.

Having started the Intermountain Equestrian Center in 1999, Gatzemeier and Skelton rented the facility to a local private college for equestrian classes for 20 years.

“We built the facilities to meet their growth as it occurred,” he said, as the nonprofit increasingly became interested in therapeutic riding.

The nonprofit eventually joined the Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship and offer a credential for instructors. Currently three certified instructors work for them.

The typical first three sessions follow a step-by-step procedure:

The client meets the horse, learns how to groom it and learns the horse’s language, then proceeds to an individualized, participant-driven program with hands-on activities and instructor-set functional goals.

“We don’t have therapists or counselors,” said Gatzemeier. “There are people way more suited for that than we are. What we do is equine activities with faculty, horses and instructors – and if you need a therapist, you have to bring your own. In the case of our veterans, they are referred through the Veterans Administration and they have psychiatrists, counselors and all that.”

The program services Yellowstone County and eight adjacent counties. About one dozen therapy horses—whose beautiful mugs are posted on the HSHI website at horsesspiritshealing.org —work the program.

“The horses are pretty neat and individually chosen,” said Joan Grauman, a HSHI board member, grant writer, community volunteer and long-time nonprofit expert. “They’re chosen for their dispositions.”

Testimonials abound from veterans who have found “healing to empowerment” success via the HSHI program.

“Working with the horse requires trust which comes with awareness and good communication,” said one retired military vet. “The skills that the HSHI personnel impart to me has helped me be more outgoing and comfortable.”

Importantly, HSHI offers all veterans – no matter their experience – the opportunity to connect with horses.

“The time that I get to spend out at Horses Spirits Healing is something that I don’t think I could get elsewhere,” said another veteran. “The staff and everyone out there will make you feel that you belong there. The time that I get to spend out there with my daughter is helping me reconnect and to learn how to be in the moment wither and just have some fun. I also volunteer and it gives me a sense of purpose again… it is a place for me to go and feel a part of something.”

“It is this simple, non-judgmental interaction that helps alleviate wounds, both seen and unseen,” reads the website.

Among the programs matched to individual needs and goals are therapeutic riding, equine-assisted learning, equine-facilitated psychotherapy, and equine-adaptive activities that include roping, driving, packing, jumping, barrel racing, equine Frisbee and soccer, trail, modified skijoring, and color guard.

The suicide rate for veterans is three times the national rate and 1.7 times the state rate. Montana is the state with the highest number of veterans per capita, and third highest suicide rate in the nation. Organizations addressing these pressing issues in Montana are a vital part of Town Pump Charitable Foundation's focus on helping our fellow Montanans.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

horsesspiritshealing.org

facebook.com/horsesspiritshealing

The Food Security Project tends four neighborhood farms and 10 community gardens, sprouting 400 garden plots to “make this food accessible for everyone,” said Jean Zosel, executive director since2011.

“That’s only two of our four programs. I know Town Pump has been a big sup-porter of food banks, and since COVID hit, there have been so many people struggling to put food on their tables. Town Pump was happy to give it.”

The Town Pump donation is ear-marked primarily for the neighborhood farms, but Garden City Harvest’s roots dig deep and far: it also maintains seven school gardens for a popular Farm-to-School program, plus a Youth Development Program in which at-risk teens redefine themselves as farmers.

About 40% of GCH’s operating bud-get comes from individual contributions, about 25 percent from grants, and another 35 percent from program income generated from garden plot rentals, summer camps, and veggie sales, said Zosel.

Since its business calendar revolves around the growing season, GCH hopes to raise $80,000 by the end of the year.

“We would love to blow $100k out of the water, but we will see,” she said. “There’s always kind of this mad scramble at the end of the year—and it’s been kind of a mad scramble this past year with COVID, but it all goes back into the ground and into people’s mouth.”

Garden City Harvest impacts a wide range of partners in the community: discounted and subsidized mobile farm stands at senior centers and Head Start, Soft Landing Missoula, Missoula YWCA and the Meadowlark Domestic Violence

Shelter, recipients of season finale produce. Garden City Harvest distributes be-tween 140,000 and 150,000 pounds of food per year on a sliding fee scale, based on market rate. Community gardens alone grow 100,000 pounds of food annually for individual families.

“All of this food is grown for the com- munity in one way, shape or form,” Zoselsaid. “We do a lot of good things to meet people where they are. One-hundred per-cent of the edible food goes back into the community.”

“We connect with over 20,000 people a year with our work; it’s got a huge impact. We’re quietly doing our work and I think we surprise people with that. “Up to 70% of gardeners, typically from low-to-moderate income households, qualify for a sliding fee scale, scholarship or payment plan. Vegetable subscriptions and Community Supported Agriculture boxes are available. Waiting lists for community gardens fill up fast.

“We ask people to come personally tour farms to … pick up your share of veggies each week. That way, you get to know your farmer, how your food is grown and enjoy some green space.”

Garden City Harvest leads a robust food distribution network, partnering with All Nations Health Center, Mountain Home Montana, drug and alcohol abuse recovery centers and rehabilitation

“We’re just trying to make this food accessible to everyone; that’s the goal. But we’re always looking for gaps to fill. GCH is not something your average community has, but this is kind of unique to Missoula and Montana. For us to be a nonprofit and we’re operating these farms and growing all this food, teaching kids, welcoming at-risk teenagers with their first jobs and getting volunteers for our vegetable program – it's other ways to get food to people.”

The COVID pandemic proved especially tricky, but GCH persevered.

“Last year we just really felt the weight of that to get that food out to people,” she said. “We do 20,000 pounds of food to the Missoula Food Bank and 5,000 pounds to The Portello Center.”

Zosel oversees a staff of 31 at 20 sites around town. Most employees are seasonal, but five are year-round workers.

“Keeping everyone healthy was key last year,” she said. “I felt really lucky that our staff are such dedicated, hard-working folks.”

Over 300 donors fund the programs. Garden City Harvest’s last capital campaign from 2016 to 2018, raised $2.8 million to build a permanent, heated home office and community space on the1657 River Road farm, merely one of several properties the nonprofit owns.

Garden City Harvest aims to connect gardeners and build community in positive, healthy, meaningful ways. “It’s a lot harder to hate someone if you know them, “she said. “Everybody comes at it from a different place.” Josh Slotnick, one of the Garden City Harvest co-founders, a Missoula County commissioner and University of Montana environmental studies professor, helped create a vital food mission that Zosel and her staff generously continue to share with other towns, cities and initiatives.

“Because we’ve been doing this for 25 years, we’ve figured some things out, so we’re happy to share,” added Zosel. “We’ve grown into this and we realize how important it is.”

I know Town Pump has been a big supporter of food banks and since COVID hit, there have been so many people struggling to put food on their tables. Town Pump was happy to give it.

Jean Zosel Executive Director Garden City Harvest

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

gardencityharvest.org

facebook.com/garden.city.harvest

The grants may be used for tuition, books, supplies and other education expenses.

Everyone at Town Pump wishes these students a productive college experience.

2021 SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS WERE:

• Wyatt Biggers

• Karry Bowman

• Claire Britton

• Tyler Brockman

• Jasmyne Crawford

• Natalie Dulac

• Sara Ehman

• Rylee Jo Gonzales

• Mercedes Hagen

• DeLaney Hinman

• Kassady Hinman

• Jenna Hodges

• Brook Holland

• Brett Jacobs

• Andrew Johnson

• Baily Ann Johnson

• Tatum Kirschenheiter

• Kathryn Manson

• Danika Murphy

• Hannah O'Dell

• Katelyn Rapp

• Holden Sampson

• Jenna Sanders

• Megan Udeck

• Mackinzie Wilson

• Alivia Wixsten

2021 TOTAL AWARDED: $52,000

In 2020, 914 Montana volunteer advocates helped 2,253 Montana children—donating 38,124 hours of their time. Addition- al volunteers are needed as there are over 1,000 children waiting for an advocate.

CASA/GAL volunteers are compassion- ate, objective, self-motivated individuals from the community who are trained to speak on behalf of abused and neglected children. After completion of an application with references, an interview with program staff, a complete criminal and child abuse registry check is performed on each applicant. After the applicant attends training, the volunteers are sworn in by a juvenile court judge, and adhere to strict confidentiality and professionalism throughout their appointment.

The CASA/GAL advocates for the child giving them a voice in court, evaluates the child’s situation through an objective lens, identifies resources and services for the child, and ensures the rights of abused and neglected children are being protected and the child’s best interests are being met. The volunteer CASA/GAL is often the one constant in child’s life during the time the child is in care. With over 1,000 children in Montana waiting for an advocate, volunteers are needed. Each case lasts two years on average and requires about 10–15 volunteer hours per month.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

montanacasagal.org

(406) 461-2111

office@montanacasagal.org

EVERY CHILD DESERVESAN ADVOCATE. EVERY CHILD DESERVES A VOICE.

Organizations like these often delay purchasing such needed items as high-visibility jackets, pagers, radios, tablets, ambulance upgrades, safety gear, medical packs, automatic external defibrillators (AED), CPR training equipment, turnout gear, chest compression equipment, or other minor equipment.

Town Pump Charitable Foundation awarded $550,000 in grants to78 QRUs and volunteer EMT and ambulance services.

Organizations receiving grants totaling $550,000 included:

• Absarokee - Absarokee Rural Fire District

• Anaconda - Georgetown VFD/QRU Baker - Fallon County

• Belt - Belt Volunteer Ambulance Service

• Big Timber - Sweet Grass County Search & Rescue

• Broadus - Powder River First Responders, LTD

• Boulder - Boulder Ambulance Service

• Bozeman - Fort Ellis Rural Fire Corporation

• Butte - I15-90 Search and Rescue

• Charlo - Charlo-Moiese Volunteer Fire Department

• Chester - Liberty County Ambulance

• Chinook - Blaine County Ambulance 1

• Choteau - Teton County EMS

• Circle - Redwater Valley Ambulance Service

• Clancy - Clancy Volunteer Fire Department

• Columbia Falls - Columbia Falls Firefighters, Inc.

• Columbia Falls - Badrock Fire & QRU

• Columbus - Columbus Rural Fire District #3

• Conrad - Pondera County Ambulance

• Cooke City - Silvergate Emergency Services

• Corvallis - Corvallis Quick Response Medical Unit Culbertson - Roosevelt Medical Center EMS Dayton - Chief Cliff Volunteer Fire/QRU

• Denton - Denton Ambulance Service, Inc.

• Dillon - Beaverhead County Search & Rescue

• Ekalaka - Dahl Memorial Healthcare Ambulance

• Ennis - Madison Valley Medical Center Foundation

• Fort Benton - Memorial Ambulance of Fort Benton

• Gardiner - Gateway Hose Company

• Geraldine - Geraldine Community Ambulance

• Glasgow - Frances Mahon Deaconess Hospital Foundation

• Glendive - City of Glendive Ambulance

• Glendive - Dawson County Search and Rescue Team, Inc.

• Grass Range - Grass Range QRU, Inc.

• Grass Range - Cheadle Volunteer Fire Dept.

• Hinsdale - Hinsdale Ambulance Service

• Hot Springs - Town of Hot Springs

• Jefferson City - Jefferson City VFD

• Joliet - Joliet Emergency Services

• Kalispell - West Valley Rural Fire District

• Kalispell - Smith Valley Fire District

• Lakeside - Lakeside QRU, Inc. Laurel - Laurel EMS

• Lavina - Golden Valley County Ambulance

• Libby - Libby Volunteer Ambulance Service, Inc.

• Libby - Fisher River Valley Fire Service Area

• Libby - Lincoln County Sheriff Department

• Lincoln - Lincoln Volunteer Ambulance Service

• Miles City - Custer County Firefighters Association

• Missoula - Missoula County Search and Rescue

• Montana City - Montana City VFD

• Opheim - North Valley EMS, Inc.

• Park City - Park City Ambulance

• Polaris - Grasshopper Valley Volunteer Fire Company

• Poplar - Northeast Montana Health Services

• Rexford - West Kootenai Fire Protection Company

• Richey - Town of Richey Volunteer Ambulance Service

• Rudyard - Hill County Ambulance

• Scobey - Daniels County Emergency Services

• Seeley Lake - Seeley Lake Rural Fire District

• Shepherd - Shepherd VFD/QRU

• Sheridan - Ruby Valley EMS

• Sidney - Richland County Ambulance Service

• Stanford - Judith Basin County Ambulance

• Stevensville - Stevensville Rural Fire District

• Superior - Superior VFD

• Superior - Superior Area Ambulance Service

• Thompson Falls - Thompson Falls Ambulance

• Three Forks - Three Forks Ambulance

• Townsend - American Legion Post #42

• Troy - City of Troy

• Victor - Victor Volunteer Rural Fire District

• Whitefish - City of Whitefish Fire Department

• Whitehall - Jefferson Valley EMS & Rescue

• Winifred - Winifred Ambulance

• Winnett - Winnett Volunteer Fire Department

• Wise River - Wise River Volunteer Fire Company

• Wolf Point - Northeast Montana Health Services

This past Christmas, 220 - $500 grants were awarded across Montana to make Christmas brighter for our friends and neighbors.

Over the past fifteen years $1.2 million has been donated to volunteer organizations to assist them with making Christ- mas brighter for our fellow Montanans.

Since the inception of the Adopt A Family program, $1.2 million in grants have been awarded.

"Thank you for allowing Immanuel Lutheran Church to be a part of your charitable giving. The Service Committee and several members of the church are busy securing items for several families to help their holidays be less stressful. With gratitude - thanks for all you do for Montana's families." - Immanuel Lutheran Church

Organizations receiving grants totaling $110,000 in 2021 included:

• Adventure Cycling Association - Missoula

• American Legion Auxiliary - Silver Bow County Unit 1

• American Legion Auxiliary Unit 27 - Missoula

• Anaconda-Deer Lodge County Head Start

• Angels in Camo - Great Falls

• Apostolic Resource Center, Inc. - Belgrade

• ASPEN - Livingston

• Avon Grange #125 - Anaconda

• AWARE Early Head Start - Billings

• Bear Creek Buckaroos 4-H Florence

• Beaverhead Development Corporation

• Belgrade Community Library Foundation

• Big Brothers Big Sisters of Big Sky Country

• Big Hearts & Open Arms, Inc. - Eureka

• Big Sky Optimist Club of Billings

• Big Sky Senior Services - Billings

• Bikers for Kids in Need Great Falls

• Bill Carroll VFW Post 9040 Auxiliary - Dillon

• Billings Activity Program

• Billings Food Bank

• Boys & Girls Club of Lewistown

• Bozeman Health Foundation

• Broadwater Rodeo & Fair Association

• Butte 4C's

• Butte Rescue Mission

• CASA of Park and Sweetgrass Counties

• CASA/GAL of Gallatin Valley Program, Inc.

• Cathedral of St. Helena

• Central Montana Family Planning

• Central Montana Spirit of Christmas

• Chief Joseph Auxiliary Unit #135 - Lolo

• Choteau United Methodist Church

• Community Youth Initiative - Dillon

• Community, Counseling, and Correctional Services, Inc.

• Conrad/Brady Christmas Giving Tree

• Dandelion Foundation - Great Falls

• Danny Berg Memorial Christmas Dinner- Great Falls

• Dena Tibbits - Babb

• Dillon Lions Club

• Dillon Main Street, LLC District 4 HRDC - Havre

• Domestic & Sexual Violence Services of Carbon County

• DPHHS Child & Family Services - Billings

• East Helena Schools

• East Middle School Student Council - Butte

• Eastern Montana Community Mental Health Center

• Essential Eats Missoula

• Eureka Shop with A Cop

• Evergreen Rebekah Lodge #86 - Laurel

• Family Outreach Bozeman

• Family Outreach Butte

• Family Outreach Helena

• Family Promise of Greater Helena

• First Choice Home Health - Bozeman

• First Congregational Church UCC - Great Falls

• First Presbyterian Church

• Flathead Warming Center Free Cycles Missoula

• Fresh Life Church - Billings

• Fresh Life Church - Bozeman

• Fresh Life Church - Butte

• Fresh Life Church - Great Falls

• Fresh Life Church - Helena

• Fresh Life Church - Kalispell

• Fresh Life Church - Missoula

• Fresh Life Church - Polson

• Fresh Life Church - Whitefish

• Friends of Jaycee Park - Dillon

• Friends of the Community, Inc. - Livingston

• Friends of the Sun River Valley Helping Hands

• Simms

• Friendship Center of Helena

• Front Range CASA/GAL - Conrad

• Gallatin Valley Lutheran Fellowship - Belgrade

• Glasgow High School

• Gloria Dei Lutheran Church - Butte

• Good Samaritan Ministries & Thrift Store - Helena

• Grace Fund - Butte

• Gratitude in Action - Billings

• Great Falls Police Protective Association

• Great Falls Rescue Mission

• Greater Impact - Bozeman

• Halfmoon Highlanders 4H Club – Columbia Falls

• HAVEN Bozeman

• Havre Eagles Club

• Helena Sunrise Rotary

• Hellgate Elementary School - Missoula

• Hi Line Home Programs, Inc. - Glasgow

• Hi-Lines Help for Abused Spouses - Conrad

• Hope Lutheran Church - Bozeman

• Immanuel Lutheran Church - Missoula

• Interact Club of Butte

• Intermountain Children’s Home - Helena

• Jill Hamry - Butte

• Joliet Middle School

• Katherine L Gillispie, LCSW, BCBA, PLLC - Missoula

• Knees Community Club - Brady

• Kruzin' 4 Seniors, Inc. - Absarokee

• LaMotte School - Bozeman

• Liam's Wish - Miles City

• Libby Area Business Association

• Libby Montana Pregnancy Care Center

• Lincoln County Community Health Center

• Manhattan Presbyterian Church

• Meagher County Senior Center - WSS

• Miles City Foster Care Project

• Miles City Soup Kitchen

• Milltown Moose Lodge #2714 - Missoula

• Missoula Family YMCA

• Mountain Brook Ladies Club - Kalispell

• Mountain View Homemakers - Eureka

• Native American Children’s Association – Red Lodge

• NeighborWorks Great Falls

• New Hope Lutheran Church - Great Falls

• New Hope Pregnancy Center - Butte

• NW MT Association of Realtors - Kalispell

• Our Redeemer's Lutheran Church - Helena

• Out of the Wilderness - Billings

• P.E.O. Chapter AW - Cut Bank

• Pad for Paws Foundation - Helena

• Paradise Valley Giving Tree Parenting Place - Missoula

• Park County Health Department

• PIECE, Inc. - Bozeman

• Plains Bible Chapel

• Pleasant Valley Homemakers Community

• Assistance - Monarch

• Plymouth Congregational Church - Helena

• Poverello Center - Missoula

• Powell County High School

• PureView Health Center Pharmacy - Helena

• Reach Higher Montana - Helena

• Rebuilding Together Yellowstone County

• RiverStone Health Foundation

• Rocky Mountain Packers 4H - Clinton

• Rossiter Elementary School - Helena Rotary Club of Butte

• Ruby Valley Giving Tree - Alder

• Sacred Heart Circle - Joplin

• Saddle Peak PTX - Belgrade

• Sagebrush Food Pantry - Shelby

• Saint Leo's Church - Lewistown

• Saint Mary Catholic Community - Helena

• Salvation Army - Helena

• Sanders County Coalition for Families

• Sanders County Dog Training Club

• See A Need Take Action - Ramsay

• Shop With A Cop - Butte

• Soroptimist International of Great Falls

• Soroptimist International of Hamilton

• Soroptimist of Dillon

• Southwestern Montana Family YMCA - Dillon

• St. Bernard Council of Catholic Women - Billings

• St. Mary's Church - Columbus

• St. Paul Lutheran Church - Cut Bank

• St. Vincent DePaul - Billings

• The Bridge - Belgrade

• Three Forks High School

• Three Mile Community Senior Center - Stevensville

• Tikkum Olam Ministries, Inc. - Wolf Point

• TOPS MT 0414 Inverness - Hingham

• Townsend Rotary Club

• Toys for Tots - Anaconda Trinity Church - Bozeman

• Troy Christian Fellowship Twin Bridges High School

• Union Gospel Mission - Missoula

• United Congregational Church - Butte

• Venture Church - Bozeman

• West Mont - Helena

• Willing Workers Ladies Aid, Inc. – Gallatin Gateway

• Yellowstone Boys and Girls Ranch

• Youth Dynamics - Statewide

• YWCA Helena

Team members at Town Pump convenience stores, casinos and hotels support Special Olympics Montana through the sale of $5 MTN/Chevy Truck raffle ticket sales.

The lucky winner of the 2021MTN/Chevy Truck Raffle was Kandace Konola of Butte, who purchased the winning ticket at the Town Pump on Continental Drive in Butte.

Congratulations, Kandace!

Town Pump team members will start selling 2022 MTN/Chevy Truck raffle tickets on February 1, 2022 and continue through March 31, 2022. Tickets can be purchased with cash, check or debit card.

“Your support of Montana's most deserving athletes is all-out incredible! You are truly great people running a truly great company committed to making Montana the best!” - Rhonda McCarty Chief Executive Officer Special Olympics Montana

The seat must be appropriate for the child’s height and weight according to the manufacturer’s guidelines. It’s generally not a good idea to use a secondhand or hand-me-down car seat.

A lot of new parents feel sticker shock when they shop for baby’s first car seat. They can be expensive and often create a financial hardship for low-income families.

Town Pump is committed to donating funds for 1,500 child car seats.

Grant applications for Safer Start Montana will open on February7, 2022 and run through March 18, 2022. Grant recipients will be notified in April 2022.

During the spring of 2022, the Town Pump Charitable Foundation will be offering grants to social service organizations and governmental agencies that provide free child car seats to low-income Montana families.

As we approach our 70th Anniversary, the Town Pump Charitable Foundation will be awarding $700,000 in community grants to support our fellow Montanans in order to commemorate the Town Pump Anniversary while furthering our commitment to our focus areas. Details will be available on our website: townpumpfoundation.com in late summer 2022.

“We also realize that what success we have had is due to having a good, unified team of family members and employees rather than because of one person acting alone.” -Town Pump Founder Tom Kenneally