Community of Giving 2019

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THESE ORGANIZATIONS MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

You can too!

SEE GIVING OPTIONS INSIDE

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Advertiser Index: Alberta Bair Theater ................................... 4 Aware Incorporated .................................... 4 Big Sky Senior Services, Inc. ...................... 12 Billings Food Bank ...................................... 15 Billings Studio Theatre .................................3 Family Service Incorporated........................7 Special K Ranch ..........................................10 St. Vincent DePaul ...................................... 12 The Family Tree Center ..............................10 Yellowstone Art Museum ............................11 Yellowstone Casa, Inc..................................11 YWCA .......................................................... 13 Community of Giving is a special publication of The Billings Gazette

Publisher Dave Worstell Advertising Manager Ryan Brosseau Special Sections Coordinator Mo Lucas

THESE

You can too!

Access Community of Giving at www.billingsgazette.com/specialsections

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2019

is coming to a close in the Billings area. Our local non-profits who with hope for the are steadfast in their missions continue to future. Possibilities make a difference in the lives they serve. We abound! Expansions of the Ronald McDonald are blessed to live in a community that cares House and Riverstone Health provide greater about and is committed to providing essential services for those in Billings and surrounding services to those who need it the most. areas. The new home for Family Please, consider taking time Services allows them to expand out of this busy holiday season their offerings in much needed to meet some of the remarkable additional space. In addition, people at nearby non-profits and plans are underway for exciting discover rewarding opportunities renovations at the Alberta Bair existing for volunteers of all Theater. Thanks to you and your ages. I am sure you will find the generosity, Billings continues to spirit of the holidays and your provide a premier quality of life unique way to celebrate this for its citizens, my family and wonderful time of year. me. Whether it is in education, We hope you enjoy reading this business, sports, the arts or publication and find inspiration community services, Billings has in the good deeds accomplished something for everyone. every day. The Billings Gazette is At this time of year, friends, neighbors, and proud to be a part of this giving community. I civic organizations come together to celebrate wish you all the happiest of holidays and best the spirit of the holidays in their own special wishes for a healthy and prosperous New Year. way. It is truly a magical time. What you may not see is the wide range of important services Thank you, that are being provided, behind the scenes, Dave Worstell, Publisher to children, families and individuals from all walks of life who are struggling to make ends meet.

ORGANIZATIONS MAKE A DIFFERENCE. Inside the pages of A Community of Giving, you will have a comprehensive look at our local non-profits and the range of important services they provide to our region and how they significantly enhance the quality of life Billings Gazette

SEE GIVING OPTIONS INSIDE COMMUNITY OF GIVING 2019

Billings Studio Theater 67 Years of Theatrical Excellence, Excitement, and Entertainment, is what Billings Studio Theatre (BST) has delivered to the greater Yellowstone community since its inception. From highly acclaimed, musical productions such as Newsies, Elf, and Mamma Mia, to plays such as The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time and Murder on the Orient Express, BST gathers the best of local talent in carving out hit after hit, season after season. They provide a little something for everyone as their slates contain a wide genre of material that varies from classical works and riveting, thought-provoking dramas to hilarious comedies and children’s shows. BST crafts each season to provide a balanced series that really is theatre for the whole family.

BST believes a community becomes

COMMUNITY OF GIVING 2019

stronger as the quality of the amenities offered to the community increases.

BST provides diverse quality programing and, as such, has a loyal and dedicated patronage. Funding and contributions from Show Sponsors (both corporate and individual) and Donors continue to be the lifeblood of BST, allowing the theatre to pursue the presentation of new and quality material in a setting that is both comfortable and appealing. Financial contributions whether allocated for immediate needs or designed to provide for the continued stability of the theatre over time, are the fuel for the growth of what has been affectionately titled “Your Community Theatre.” In-kind material, services and unrestricted gifts are also always welcomed, and keep the theatre wheels rolling.

If you are considering a planned gift this season, BST’s partnership with the Billings Community Foundation and the Montana Community Foundation are designed to enhance the capacity of your gift while meeting the needs of the theatre. This association allows BST, through the BCF and MCF, to offer a variety of options in giving, some of which may have significant tax advantages for you as a donor.

Located adjacent to the Rocky Mountain College campus, Billings Studio Theatre is in the heart of the Magic City. For more information contact them at 1500 Rimrock Road,

Billings, MT 59102 or visit online at www.billingsstudiotheatre.com, or call 406-248-1141.

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We help people live independent lives

Alberta Bair Theater

AWARE Mission

We ensure adults and children live successfully in their communities, providing home visits, help in school, assistance with services, psychiatric assessment, and outpatient counseling.

We support children ages 0-8 and their families through Early Head Start, behavioral health services, home visiting, and child care.

We help the adults we serve find fulfilling employment, either through an AWARE program or in the community.

We hire professional, experienced Services staff to serve the individuals we support, We ensure people with mental health employing more than 800 employees and developmental disabilities live in across Montana. a home of their choice and provide the Learn more about us at Aware-inc. day-to-day support they need. org.

AWARE is a statewide nonprofit organization that offers quality, communitybased support for people with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities and families with children ages 0 to 8. We serve all 56 counties in Montana.

AWARE’s goal is to assist individuals and families in making sound life choices. The support we provide allows those we serve to become active and vital members of their community while focusing on personal growth.

We know when Alberta Bair Theater reopens in September 2020, there will be a mad rush for tickets, not only to attend shows but just to see this beautiful new theater!

On Oct. 22 more than 1,000 area students learned about Many people support the gravity and balance from Garry Krinsky’s “Toying With performing arts, but few Science” at Lincoln Center. understand that only half of the Theater’s operating budget comes from season, we can present 16 performances ticket sales. for nearly 15,000 school children and That’s why we are so grateful to ticket provide education outreach activities for buyers who choose to go beyond enjoying students and teachers throughout the rethe performances and choose to share in gion. our mission to bring the excitement of We promise great entertainment to the performing arts to everyone by mak- delight, engage, and enrich this wondering a donation. ful community.

With income generated by our AnPlease consider a donation to the new nual Fund, even during this transitional Alberta Bair Theater!

THANK YOU AWARE is thankful for the opportunity to serve our friends and neighbors with challenging mental, emotional and sometimes, physical needs. We provide quality, compassionate care because of the dedication of our more than 800 statewide employees. And, for these devoted professionals, we are grateful.

Visit us at Aware-inc.org to learn more.

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We promise great entertainment to delight, engage, and enrich this wonderful community. Please donate today!

AlbertaBairTheater.org Exec Offices: 406-256-8915

PO Box 1556 Billings, MT 59103 COMMUNITY OF GIVING 2019

Choosing a charity to support is a decision that should be made after careful consideration of a host of factors.

Tips for choosing a charity W

hen choosing to donate to or volunteer with a charity, adults know that their choice of charity is an important decision.

Many charities rely on volunteers and donations from private citizens to meet their missions, which only illustrates the vital role such men and women play in making the world a better place.

Many people would love to volunteer with or donate to every charity whose missions they support.

However, time and budget constraints often prevent well-meaning men and women from supporting more than a handful of charities. Though it’s not easy to choose one worthwhile cause

COMMUNITY OF GIVING 2019

at the expense of another, men and women who want to pitch in can take certain steps to simplify the process of choosing a charity.  Do your research. One of the best ways to narrow down your list is to access charity ratings and reviews through organizations such as Charity Navigator and Give.org.

Such organizations vet charities based on various criteria, including the effectiveness of their programs and how donation dollars are spent.

Donors may feel more comfortable donating to charities that have wellestablished reputations for making every donation dollar go as far as possible, while volunteers may feel

more connected to a cause if they can experience fi rsthand just how big a difference their efforts are making.  Choose a cause you feel strongly about. Adults who support organizations whose missions they feel strongly about will likely be more inclined to continue working with or donating to those organizations than those who choose charities based on a whim. Consistent volunteering and donations, whether theyÕre made on a monthly or annual basis, can help charities build more effective budgets, thereby supporting both their short- and long-term programs and goals.  Don’t overlook local charities.

Overseas charities that help underprivileged people in developing countries are often great choices when choosing a charity. But donors should not hesitate to look into local charities in their own communities as well. By supporting local charities, donors can help members of their own community. A successful local nonprofit benefits the local economy by creating jobs and also helps the greater community by assisting the underprivileged in the area. In addition, donors may feel a greater sense of satisfaction when seeing how their volunteering efforts or donations are helping to transform their own communities.

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Easy ways to volunteer and give back to your community Millions of people across the globe volunteer every day. Without the selfless efforts of volunteers, many charities would be forced to cease operations. In fact, a 2017 study from the charitable community membership organization Independent Sector estimated that the labor provided by volunteers is worth roughly $193 billion per year in the United States alone.

But volunteering can be as beneficial for volunteers as it can for the organizations they help. For example, the Mayo Clinic Health System notes that research has indicated volunteering leads to lower rates of depression while providing individuals with a sense of purpose. Volunteering can

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be especially beneficial for adults over age 60, with the MCHS noting that older volunteers experience greater increases in life satisfaction and greater positive changes in their perceived health as a result of volunteering.

With so much to gain from volunteering, it’s no wonder that so many people across the globe volunteer. According to the United Nations Volunteers program, global estimates place the number of worldwide volunteers at 970 million.

That’s nearly three times the population of the United States and more than 26 times the population of Canada in 2018.

It’s never been easier to volunteer and begin helping your community. Adults

and children who want to join the nearly one billion strong global volunteering community need not look far to get involved. The Corporation for National Community Service notes that the following are some easy ways to volunteer in your community.  Serve meals at a local shelter or community kitchen.  Sign up to work as a tutor or mentor with a local afterschool program.  Help adults find the right professional opportunities by hosting a resume writing/review workshop and conducting practice interview sessions.  Work in conjuction with a local food pantry to organize a food donation drive.

 Volunteer to help the environment by working with local, state, or national park services to beautify parks and/or a local community garden.  Work with a local emergency response organization to produce and distribute disaster-preparedness kits.  Help fellow community members save money by collecting and sharing information about free tax-preparation services.  Read to students or seniors- contact a local community or senior center.  Volunteer at an animal shelter.

When it comes to volunteering, the opportunities are as endless as the benefits of giving back to your community.

COMMUNITY OF GIVING 2019

Family Service

Please make this holiday special!

Everyone hopes for a happy Christmas and with your help, Family Service provides food, hope and stability to make the season special..

Feed - Furnish - Fortify …… Friend Family Service has been providing vital essentials to struggling families and seniors in Billings for 113 years. YOU, our generous donors and community, create opportunities to lift families and seniors to stability, providing options every day for those who live with not enough.

Our programs helped over 18,000 households last year with:  Bountiful food boxes  No/Low Cost Clothing in our 50¢ Clothing Quarter and Thrift Store  One-time, emergency rent and utility assistance  Education for Better Employment This year, we are expecting more than 2,000 households to apply for holiday meal boxes – Turkeys and all the fi xings.

When you are shopping for

your family, please consider buying 2 turkeys and bring one to Family Service to donate.

Your donation will go directly to a family in need in our community. You will be SO appreciated!

Gently used children’s clothing is always needed – especially winter gear, like coats, snow pants and boots.

Use our drive through dropoff to donate. It’s easy, efficient and fun!

Our community is such a wonderful place to raise children. With your help, Family Service makes this so much easier for families in need.

THANK YOU! Family Service 3927 1st Ave. South Mailing: PO Box 1020 Billings, MT 59101 Billings, MT 59103

One in six families decides whether to feed their children or pay their rent. Those who face emergencies turn to Family Service!

A Simple Holiday Wish List Holidays: $30 brings traditional family meals home at Thanksgiving and Christmas Clothing: $50 stocks our community clothing room with warm clothing Food: $60 provides family food boxes and senior food box delivery Warmth: $100 pays winter utilities for struggling families Home: $300 provides family stability and help to prevent homelessness

Your help is crucial ... please give generously.

Donate by texting the word WishList to 435 06.

3927 First Ave. S / PO Box 1020 Billings, MT 59103 406.384.0329 www.billingsfamilyservice.org

COMMUNITY OF GIVING 2019

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Volunteering to help the aging members of one’s community is a great way to give back.

How to

give back

to seniors in your community The strongest communities tend to be those in which members make a concerted effort to give as much as they get. Giving back to one’s community can foster strong relationships with fellow residents and ensure that everyone, including the less fortunate, is in position to live happy, healthy lives.

Certain people in a community may be more vulnerable to issues that can adversely affect quality of life than others.

For example, the National Institute on Aging notes that, as men and women age, many are alone more often than when they were younger, leaving them vulnerable to social isolation and loneliness. Such

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feelings can prove very harmful to their health, potentially contributing to problems such as depression, cognitive decline and heart disease.

Volunteering to help the aging members of one’s community is a great way to give back, and such efforts can prove rewarding for both seniors and the volunteers who lend them a hand.  Pull an extra chair up to the dinner table. Many a meaningful connection has been made and maintained over the dinner table. Breaking bread with a senior from your community is a great way to foster such connections and provide an avenue for social interaction for seniors.

Seniors who live alone might not enjoy cooking for one each night, but they might jump at the chance to eat dinner with a neighbor and even help prepare the meal. Invite a senior over once per week, encouraging them to share stories about their lives as well as how the community has developed over the years.  Help seniors manage their finances.

Many seniors struggle to manage their finances, as laws regarding taxes and investing are subject to routine changes.

A little help in this area can go a long way for seniors. Adults who want to help but don’t know where to begin can do the legwork for their aging neighbors.

Contact agencies such as AARP to determine if there are any financial assistance programs that can help seniors effectively manage their money and take advantage of age-specific perks, such as programs that may help seniors lower their energy costs.  Offer to help around the house.

Seniors who reside in single-family homes may not be able to keep up with routine home maintenance. Neighbors who want to help can offer to mow the lawn, tend to the landscaping and tidy up inside. Keep an eye open for other issues, such as clogged gutters, that can be fixed easily but prove costly if they go ignored.

COMMUNITY OF GIVING 2019

How to read a

CHARITY REPORT

R

eading and understanding reports on charities are two of the fundamental tenets of smart giving. Various organizations, including Give.org, the website of the Better Business Bureau’s Wise Giving Alliance, vet charities based on an array of criteria. The information gleaned during this vetting process is ultimately used to create reports on charitable organizations, which donors can then access to make sure they make donate to organizations with reputations for meeting their missions.

Donors without much experience reading charity reports may not know how to use the extensive amount of information within the reports to make sound donation decisions.

Give.org provides the following basic breakdown of what donors can expect to see in every report the group produces.

Governance and oversight When examining a charity based on its governance and oversight, Give.org hopes to determine that the organization’s volunteer board is active, independent and free of self-dealing. This can help donors know that the people responsible for overseeing the charity are doing so with the mission and not their own interests foremost on their minds.

This section of a Give.org report will include information such as the size of the board, whether or not the organization meets the minimum standard of three evenly spaced board meetings per year (and if the meetings include face-to-face participation) and details regarding board member compensation. This section will also illustrate if there are any existing COMMUNITY OF GIVING 2019

conflicts of interest regarding board members.

Effectiveness This section will indicate how effective a charity is at meeting its mission. Give.org standards require charities to set defined, measurable goals and objectives and to establish a process of evaluation to determine the success and impact of programs operated by the organization.

Finances This is a highly detailed section of a Give.org report that will include information about program expenses; fundraising expenses; an audit of existing financial statements; a detailed breakdown of expenses, such as salaries and travel; and whether or not the charity is reporting these expenses accurately. This section also aims to inform donors if the organization has a board-approved budget for its current fiscal year.

Solicitations and informational materials This section will inform donors if a charity’s representations to the public are accurate, complete and respectful.

Recognizing that fundraising appeals are sometimes the sole impetus for giving, Give.org uses this section to let prospective donors know if an organization is representing itself accurately when appealing to donors.

Reports from charity-vetting organizations can help donors make sound, smart donation decisions.

More information about reports is available at www.Give.org.

Give.org provides a basic breakdown of what donors can expect to see in every report the group produces.

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Special K Ranch Special K Ranch provides family-oriented Christian homes, on a working ranch for adults who have developmental disabilities.

Residents receive loving care from live-in home advisors while leading safe, happy and productive lives in a rewarding and stimulating environment.

Residents enjoy life-long homes on the Ranch, where they grow bedding plants and produce in the 65,000 sq. ft. greenhouse complex. These products are sold for distribution and consumption to more than 40 stores and restaurants across Montana. Residents and staff also work together raising livestock and doing light manufacturing and assembly projects for local businesses. Ranchers participate in the Yellowstone Valley Farmers Market, Special Olympics, and

various activities and events in the community.

Special K Ranch operates independently of government funding; it is raising funds for both general operating purposes and for its endowment. For details contact Steven Aadland at (406) 550-2224, steve@specialkranch.org.

Please visit the ranch’s Facebook page to see photos, videos, and construction progress of the new resident home.

The Family Tree Center Families in our community are struggling. The number of substantiated cases of child abuse and neglect continues to rise. The numbers of abused and neglected children have risen from 177 in 2014 to 719 in 2018.

That’s an increase of 4.06 times! We need to do more to protect our most vulnerable community members, our children.

Since 1985, The Family Tree Center remains the only agency whose sole mission is the PREVENTION of child abuse and neglect. What does Prevention mean? Maybe that means we open up our heart to a struggling family. Maybe, we support that struggling family through In-Home Mentoring, Respite Childcare, and a Nurturing Parenting Class. Prevention services cost, on average, $1.00 to every $10.00 spent on intervention services. If we can prevent child abuse and neglect, it saves us as taxpayers, but more importantly, it saves those children for

whom the human consequences cannot be comprehended.

The Family Tree Center is committed to providing judgement free support to ALL families in our community, regardless of income or severity of need.

We recognize that parenting can be stressful and that children do not come with instructions. Most importantly, we believe that the families who participate in our programs are truly the ones changing the world and our community – one family at a time.

We thank all of you who have heeded the call to action and continue to help us in our mission of prevention and to “stop the hurt before it happens”.

Thank you Billings Community for 34 years of Supporting & Strengthening Families!

Providing family oriented Christian homes, on a working ranch for adults who have developmental disabilities.

• Nurturing Parenting Classes • Respite Childcare • In-Home Mentoring • Montana Women’s Prison Parenting Program • Re-entry & Reunification Support

• Parents Evening Out • Family Fun Nights • Parenting Workshops • Prevention Education Presentations & Workshops

2520 5th Avenue South Billings, MT 59101 (406) 252-9799 406-322-5520 www.specialkranch.org 10

familytreecenterbillings.org COMMUNITY OF GIVING 2019

Yellowstone Art Museum

“Be the change you’d like to see in the world!”

With the spirit of generosity in the air, we encourage you to be a force for good in our community, through charity!

There’s a miraculous opportunity this holiday season to secure offerings to the Yellowstone Art Museum. An anonymous donor has offered a $25,000 Challenge Grant”, matching dollar for dollar on all gifts to the YAM between now and December 31st, 2019. Your gift can be doubled to further impact this community!

Your continuous support inspires the YAM’s network of successful programs.

In 2019 we gave thousands of children the joy of accomplishment through our art education programs, enriched the lives of tens of thousands of annual visitors, opened new exhibits consisting of local and award winning artists, and more!

By including the YAM in your charitable giving, we can continue enriching lives!

All gifts are deeply appreciated.

Please help secure the donors generous grant.

Call today to find out more information!

406-256-6804

CASA of Yellowstone County CASA of Yellowstone County’s mission is to advocate for a safe and permanent home for abused and neglected children. This is accomplished through volunteer Court Appointed Special Advocates, or CASAs, appointed by a judge to represent a child in foster care and speak up for their best interests.

CASAs visit the children regularly at the foster home and school. They write reports that are distributed to the judge and other professionals, and attend all court hearings to be the voice for the child in court.

Throughout a case, schools, professionals, and foster homes will change. Each CASA makes a commitment to stay with the child throughout their time in the system and be the one constant in their life.

This holiday season over 800 children in Yellowstone County are in foster care. Over 500 of them are still

waiting for a CASA – someone like you to step up and be their Advocate.

CASA of Yellowstone County relies on generosity from the community to continue advocating for abused and neglected children. If you support our mission, but can’t be a CASA yourself, help us reach more children by making a gift using the information below.

$25,000 Challenge Grant

There is a wonderful opportunity this Holiday Season to match gifts to the YAM. An anonymous donor has offered a $25,000 challenge grant, matching dollar for dollar gifts received between now and December 31.

Help us to continue to inspire creativity in our community...

Give a museum membership to a friend or loved one, volunteer your time, or consider a gift this year to the YAM’s Now & Forever Endowment Fund.

yellowstoneartmuseum 406-256-6804 • 401 North 27th Street, Billings, MT • www.artmuseum.org COMMUNITY OF GIVING 2019

www.yellowstonecasa.org CASA of Yellowstone County PO Box 688 Billings, MT 59103

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Society of St. Vincent de Paul To give priority to the poorest of the poor and to those who are most rejected by society.

The Billings Society of St. Vincent de Paul is a registered non-profit that serves the poor and homeless in Yellowstone County through person-to-person acts of charity. Every service we provide is through the love, gentleness, and patience of another person, whether that is preventing eviction for a single mom, keeping the utilities on for the jobless, or ladling soup to our neighbors on the streets. We offer services such as  Rent assistance  Utility assistance  Sober living scholarships  On-site healthcare through Riverstone Health  Employment opportunities through Job Service  Managed bank accounts

 Free laundry  Food and clothing for the homeless Come shop our Thrift Store.

Bring this ad and receive an additional 50% off!

We’re at 3005 1st Ave. South, Billings, MT 59101, 406-252-1855

38,303

Person To Person Acts of Charity svdpmt.org 12

Big Sky Senior Services Helping local Senior Citizens for over 40 years Big Sky Senior Services is a LOCAL nonprofit helping local Senior Citizens stay in their homes living independent, safe and free from abuse. Last year, our services helped 378 senior citizens with homemaking, personal care, nursing, representative payee and case management services.

Additionally, 370 community volunteers provided 2414 hours as phone or visiting friends, delivering Christmas gifts and helping with yard cleanup.

Here are a few examples of how your contributions will help:  Insure local seniors will have help with laundry, homemaking, nursing and shopping  Support a representative payee program that reduces the risk of financial exploitation and keeps vulnerable adults living

independently  Support a sliding fee scale allowing seniors to pay for services based on their monthly income  Assist a senior with Pet Care services  Connect a volunteer friendly visitor or phone friend to a homebound senior For more information or if you know a senior who needs our service, call us at 259-3111 or visit our website w w w.BigSk ySen iorSer v ices.org.

Thank you for helping us help local seniors stay in their homes.

Help keep her in her home.

TIME - or -

MONEY makes the difference!

NEW LOCATION 935 Lake Elmo Drive, Ste B, Billings www.BigSkySeniorServices.org Like 406-259-3111 Us On COMMUNITY OF GIVING 2019

YWCA Billings YWCA Billings has served Montanans for 112 years. Its mission to save, change and improve lives is in place 24-hours a day, 365 days a year through Gateway Shelter, YWCA Transitional Services, and the YWCA Housing Program. In 2019, YWCA provided 9,586 nights of shelter to 183 victims, answered 3,113 calls coming into its 24-hour Help Line and provided affordable housing for 150 women and their children.

Gateway Shelter is the only secure, 24-hour, 365 days-per-year domestic violence shelter in an 18,512 square mile area. It provides protection and support for women in our region who suffer from abuse. One in three women here is a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, harassment or human trafficking and often their

children are victims, too.

A new Housing Program helps victims of violence find affordable housing, creating stability for themselves and their children.

Case managers help people develop individual action plans to address their safety, income and housing goals.

The Gateway Vista Apartments offer affordable housing on YWCA’s campus for low-income women and their children.

Gateway Vista goes beyond offering a roof over people’s heads to helping people get on their feet by providing YWCA’s transitional services and charging rents

that are based on a percentage of area median income.

Y W C A’s Transitional Services Prog ra m provides case management for adults staying at the Shelter and all people enrolled in YWCA programs. These services are offered free of charge and include issue-specific counseling, legal advice on civil matters, financial counseling, and an employment and training program that provides assistance for unemployed/ underemployed individuals in

to save, change and improve the lives of women and children

gaining skills and training needed to obtain jobs that will lead to financial independence.

YWCA is raising $1.0 million through its Capacity Campaign to cover the costs of operating and maintaining the Gateway Shelter, Gateway Vista Affordable Apartments, and the entire YWCA Campus as well as offering the free Transitional Services and providing rental and utilities support for apartment residents.

Information about YWCA Billings, Gateway Shelter, Gateway Vista, Transitional Services Programs and YWCA’s Capacity Building Campaign is available at ywcabillings.org, on Facebook at facebook.com/ YWCABillings/ or by calling 406252-6303.

In the past year

9,586

nights of safe shelter were provided to adults and children

3,113

callers on YWCA’s 24-hour help line received counseling and referrals to assistance

150

individuals were placed in housing

You can help save and change lives. Give at ywcabillings.org/donate or call 406.252.6303 to learn more.

COMMUNITY OF GIVING 2019

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Virtual volunteering makes it possible for men and women to help their favorite charities from the comforts of home.

What is

M

VIRTUAL VOLUNTEERING?

illions of people across the globe volunteer every year. In fact, estimates from the United Nations Volunteers indicate 970 million people volunteered in 2018.

Busy working professionals may wonder how nearly one billion people across the globe fi nd the time to volunteer. One way charitable men and women can pitch in even if they’re pressed for time is to try their hand at virtual volunteering, which makes it possible to lend a hand without leaving home.

Charitable organizations will always need volunteers to pitch in on project

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sites, but they also need support in other areas. Virtual volunteers can help perform behind-the-scenes tasks that are essential to the survival of charitable organizations.

Nonprofit organizations can benefit greatly from virtual volunteers, who can perform tasks like website design and data entry from the comforts of home on their own time. Virtual volunteers also can help out during fundraising campaigns and strategizing sessions that can help organizations meet their goals.

Anyone with a computer and internet access can become a virtual volunteer,

regardless of how busy their schedule is.

In fact, many working professionals may fi nd it’s easy to fit volunteering into their schedules if they do not have to travel to a project site or the office of a charitable organization.

Virtual volunteering also can make it possible for charitable men and women to help overseas organizations, helping to eliminate the hurdles created by geography and time zones.

Virtual volunteering can benefit volunteers as well as the organizations they help. Jayne Cravens, author of “The Last Virtual Volunteering Guidebook,”spent

years studying the benefits of virtual volunteering. Cravens ultimately concluded that virtual volunteering can benefit volunteers in various ways, including allowing them to volunteer with multiple causes and organizations and even affording them more time to volunteer.

Cravens also discovered that virtual volunteering makes volunteering possible for disabled men and women or people who live in especially remote areas.

Men and women interested in becoming virtual volunteers should contact a favorite charity to discuss how they can begin lending a hand today.

COMMUNITY OF GIVING 2019

Billings Food Bank BILLINGS FOOD BANK ACTIVITIES Here are a few of the activities that occur at the Billings Food Bank:

Senior nutrition program The Billings Food Bank provides much needed food boxes for low income seniors struggling to meet basic food requirements. Many senior citizens in our community would go hungry without the support of the Billings Food Bank.

Fortin Culinary Center job training Meeting Rooms/Banquet Rental Our program is based on the curriculum of a very successful program in Washington called, DC Central Kitchens. Robert Egger developed those classes and has provided assistance with the Billings Food Bank program.

The 12-week course is held in the Fortin Culinary Center and includes 10 weeks in the kitchen and a 2-week externship in the community with actual food service.

99% of graduates are placed in jobs. For most, it is life changing.

Fortin Café/Gift Shop The Fortin Café serves lunch to customers Monday through Friday.

Food is prepared in the Fortin Culinary Center and is part of the job training program. All proceeds benefit the Culinary Job Training Course. We call it an opportunity to those that wish to market arts and crafts. People shopping in the Billings Food Bank gift shop not only support the food bank—they also support the community. Most of the items in the gift shop are made with love by both adults and kids in the Billings and surrounding community, and since it is stocked by local artists and craftsmen you never know exactly what you will find.

Fortin Culinary Center commercial kitchen rental The kitchens were designed to provide classroom space and commercial space and equipment for entrepreneurs wishing to enter the specialty food industry.

COMMUNITY OF GIVING 2019

Our facility will host groups from a few people to several hundred. It is perfect for business meetings, rehearsal dinners and wedding receptions. Please call for details.

The facility is so much more than the 54,000 square feet of dry, refrigerated and frozen storage, distribution and mission: To assume a leadership role in feeding the hungry by recovering, securing, purchasing, and delivering quality food and other products, and playing a strong education and advocacy role on hunger-related issues: Doing all within our power to address root causes of hunger and encourage economic growth.

We are always looking for volunteers!

Please call us if you are interested in getting involved. We are planning our 2020 Mardi Gras Montana fundraiser and need people to assist us. Twelfth Night celebration will be January 6, 2020 at the Food Bank; Mardi Gras is February 25, 2020 at the Billings Hotel and Convention Center.

Just as a reminder, Billings Food Bank has a qualified endowment and has a four star rating by Charity Navigator. Monetary donations can be made online for your convenience.

For more information on the Billings Food Bank or any of our programs and services, please call Sheryle Shandy at (406) 259-2856.

PLAN YOUR HOLIDAY PARTY NOW! BOOK YOUR MEETING SPACE ALSO!

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Serving our community in so many ways!

Billings Food Bank began in 1982 primarily to serve Yellowstone County. It has evolved into a truly independent food bank responding to requests from anywhere — throughout the state, the country, and even beyond. If we have the ability to help, we do.

The Fortin Culinary Center is our commercial kitchen.

It serves as a training facility for students interested in culinary trades. The kitchen is also rented by culinary entrepreneurs.

CALL FOR INFORMATION ON OUR NEXT CULINARY TRAINING PROGRAM! Fortin’s Café and Gift Shop opened in response to a neighborhood demand. It has become a popular breakfast and lunch venue. It is also a great training ground for our culinary students. The gift shop offers art and other items for area artists to offer their wares.

We built a facility (paid for through private donations) that enables volunteers to sort, package and store your donations prior to distribution. In addition to food storage, we have a commercial kitchen and event center, which is available for rentals. We can also serve as a shelter during times of emergency. Monetary donations can be made online for your convenience at www.billingsfoodbank.com

2112 4th Avenue North • Billings, MT 59101 (406) 259-2856 www.BillingsFoodBank.com 16

All of these services provided with less than 2% overhead.

If you or anyone you know needs the services of The Billings Food Bank or are looking for a holiday party or meeting room, we encourage you to contact us. We are here to help. Seniors, please call and ask about the Senior Nutrition Program.

If you wish to volunteer, we would appreciate your help!

Call Today!

259-2856

COMMUNITY OF GIVING 2019