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LIFTT Awarded CIF Grant for ADA Accessible All-Inclusive Community Garden

Living Independently for Today & Tomorrow (LIFTT) is proud to announce that it has been awarded a Community Investment Fund (CIF) mini-grant to expand and enhance its ADA Accessible All-Inclusive Community Garden. This funding will help ensure that people of all abilities—aging and disabled individuals alongside those without disabilities—can fully participate in the joys and benefits of gardening.

The CIF award enables LIFTT to purchase adaptive gardening tools, including long-handled and ergonomic hand tools, one-handed implements, adaptive gripping aids, kneelers, garden seats, raised beds, self-watering containers, and wheelchair-accessible features. These resources will allow individuals with mobility limitations, arthritis, low grip strength, or other challenges to actively engage in gardening, workshops, and community activities.

“This grant affirms what we’ve believed from the start—when you design spaces for inclusion, you create opportunities for connection, learning, and independence,” said Carlos A. Ramalho, Executive Director of LIFTT. “The Community Investment Fund is helping us remove the barriers that keep too many people from participating in something as fundamental and life-giving as tending a garden.”

Located at LIFTT’s headquarters in Billings, the garden offers an accessible and welcoming environment for at least 100 participants in its inaugural season, with half of them expected to be individuals with disabilities. Through seasonal planting, maintenance, harvesting events, and educational workshops on adaptive techniques, nutrition, and sustainability, the project will foster inclusion, wellness, and community connection.

For more information about LIFTT’s ADA Accessible All-Inclusive Community Garden or other programs, please visit www.liftt.org or call (406) 259-5181.

About the Community Investment Fund:

The Community Investment Fund (CIF) supports inclusive projects across Montana that enable people with disabilities to live, learn, work, and play in their communities alongside people without disabilities. CIF Grants are administered by the University of Montana Rural Institute for Inclusive Communities.

About Living Independently for Today & Tomorrow (LIFTT): LIFTT is a Montana 501(c)3 corporation organized as a Center for Independent Living (CIL). With team members based in Billings and Glendive, LIFTT provides aging and disabled members of the community with programs and services that help empower them to break down the physical, bureaucratic, and cultural barriers that prevent them from being fully independent participants in their lives and communities throughout 18 counties in southeastern and south-central Montana: Big Horn, Carbon, Carter, Custer, Dawson, Fallon, Garfield, Golden Valley, McCone, Musselshell, Powder River, Prairie, Richland, Rosebud, Stillwater, Treasure, Wibaux, and Yellowstone. For more information, please visit liftt.org or download our mobile app for your Apple or Android Device.

Our Vision: Empowering aging and disabled individuals to LIFTT themselves above the barriers of life.

Our Mission: Living Independently for Today and Tomorrow – LIFTT’s mission is to empower aging and disabled individuals to live independently through education, support, and opportunities.

You can donate to LIFTT by clicking here.

FY 2025: A year of Challenge, Growth & Resilience

As we look back on Fiscal Year 2025, ending on September 30, 2025, one word isn’t enough to capture the spirit of our journey. This year at Living Independently for Today & Tomorrow (LIFTT) has been challenging, active, demanding, and ultimately, full of growth.

Across Montana and the nation, human service organizations are navigating rising costs and uncertain funding. Yet through it all, LIFTT has remained steadfast in our mission: empowering people with disabilities and older adults to live independently, with dignity and choice.

Highlights of the Year

New Programs: This was a pivotal year marked by the launch of several key initiatives, including the Diabetes Prevention Program, the Wellness Program, the Vocational Rehabilitation Program, and the Money Follows the Person program. Each strengthens LIFTT’s ability to diversify services while staying true to our mission.

ADA Anniversary Celebration: On July 26, 2025, we hosted Montana’s largest celebration of the 35th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Over 800 people joined us, alongside 31 vendors, in a day filled with joy, energy, and community pride.

Building Accessibility Improvements: Our Billings headquarters now features fully automatic west and east entrances. Upcoming priorities include installing an elevator and remodeling restrooms to meet ADA standards, ensuring that our building reflects our commitment to accessibility.

Technology Modernization: LIFTT is preparing for cloud migration, a step that will reduce costs, improve efficiency, and allow staff greater access to the tools they need to serve our consumers.

Transportation Milestones: With support from the Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) and the National Aging and Disability Transportation Center (NADTC), we’ve laid the groundwork for an ADA-accessible rural transportation program. This service will expand mobility options across our 18-county service area and promises to be a future revenue-generating program for sustainability.

Looking Ahead

Despite financial uncertainties, this year has proven that challenges can inspire creativity. From launching new programs to celebrating the ADA, LIFTT has continued to stand strong for and with the communities we serve. We move forward into Fiscal Year 2026 with confidence, commitment, and gratitude for everyone who walks this path with us: consumers, staff, partners, and supporters.

Onward into the Future,

Carlos A. Ramalho, Executive Director, Living Independently for Today & Tomorrow (LIFTT)

About Living Independently for Today & Tomorrow (LIFTT): LIFTT is a Montana 501(c)3 corporation organized as a Center for Independent Living (CIL). With team members based in Billings and Glendive, LIFTT provides aging and disabled members of the community with programs and services that help empower them to break down the physical, bureaucratic, and cultural barriers that prevent them from being fully independent participants in their lives and communities throughout 18 counties in southeastern and south-central Montana: Big Horn, Carbon, Carter, Custer, Dawson, Fallon, Garfield, Golden Valley, McCone, Musselshell, Powder River, Prairie, Richland, Rosebud, Stillwater, Treasure, Wibaux, and Yellowstone. For more information, please visit liftt.org or download our mobile app for your Apple or Android Device.

Our Vision: Empowering aging and disabled individuals to LIFTT themselves above the barriers of life.

Our Mission: Living Independently for Today and Tomorrow – LIFTT’s mission is to empower aging and disabled individuals to live independently through education, support, and opportunities.

You can donate to LIFTT by clicking here.

upLIFTT Thrift Success Continues following Grand Opening

On Saturday, September 6, 2025, LIFTT celebrated the grand opening of the upLIFTT Thrift Store, and what a day it was! Thanks to the hard work of staff, volunteers, and community members, the event was not only joyful but also a tremendous success.

From the moment the doors opened, shoppers streamed in to browse shelves of household goods and displays of treasures waiting for a second life. The excitement was tangible, and by the end of the day, sales had surpassed expectations. In fact, the store made in one day what had previously taken more than a week to earn. That’s the kind of momentum that tells us the community is ready for upLIFTT.

A Community Effort

The success of the grand opening was built on the generosity and dedication of many. Volunteers gave their personal time to help set up, staff the store, and welcome shoppers. Others baked treats for the bake sale. Special thanks to Theresa, Tanya, Rose, Kelly, Eileen, and Anya for filling the day with homemade goodies that added to the festive atmosphere.

This spirit of giving is exactly what upLIFTT represents: people coming together and creating something that benefits everyone.

More Than a Store

While shoppers walked away with bargains, upLIFTT is about more than resale. It is about sustainability, creativity, and community support. Donations from generous neighbors have already stocked the store with a wide variety of items. And beginning in October 2025, upLIFTT will host upcycling classes on the first Saturday of every month, a fun way to learn new skills and see how everyday items can be transformed into something fresh and useful.

These classes, designed to spark creativity and connection, are just one more way the store will serve as a hub for community engagement.

Why It Matters for LIFTT

Every purchase at the upLIFTT Thrift Store supports LIFTT’s mission of promoting independence and inclusion for people with disabilities across Eastern Montana. The revenue generated will help fund programs, expand services, and keep our commitment strong: that people deserve to live independently and with dignity.

The store is already making a name for itself. Word is spreading, shoppers love what they’re finding, and with continued support, upLIFTT will grow into a steady and vital source of funding for our work.

Stop By and See for Yourself!

If you haven’t visited yet, we invite you to stop by and experience the store firsthand. Whether you’re hunting for a bargain, donating gently used items, or joining one of our upcycling classes. upLIFTT isn’t just a store. It’s a movement of community, creativity, and support for independence.

🛍️ Shop • Donate • Volunteer at upLIFTT

Every purchase supports LIFTT’s mission of independence for people with disabilities in Eastern Montana.

Shop: Find treasures at great prices.
Donate: Give gently used items a new life.
Volunteer: Join the team that makes it all possible.

upLIFTT Thrift is located at 1201 Grand Avenue #1 in Billings, and its regular hours are Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. For more information about upLIFTT Thrift, our monthly upcycling classes starting October 6, or to arrange to donate your gently used items, contact the store at (406) 534-1147

Come visit us, and be part of something bigger!

About Living Independently for Today & Tomorrow (LIFTT): LIFTT is a Montana 501(c)3 corporation organized as a Center for Independent Living (CIL). With team members based in Billings and Glendive, LIFTT provides aging and disabled members of the community with programs and services that help empower them to break down the physical, bureaucratic, and cultural barriers that prevent them from being fully independent participants in their lives and communities throughout 18 counties in southeastern and south-central Montana: Big Horn, Carbon, Carter, Custer, Dawson, Fallon, Garfield, Golden Valley, McCone, Musselshell, Powder River, Prairie, Richland, Rosebud, Stillwater, Treasure, Wibaux, and Yellowstone. For more information, please visit liftt.org or download our mobile app for your Apple or Android Device.

Our Vision: Empowering aging and disabled individuals to LIFTT themselves above the barriers of life.

Our Mission: Living Independently for Today and Tomorrow – LIFTT’s mission is to empower aging and disabled individuals to live independently through education, support, and opportunities.

You can donate to LIFTT by clicking here.

Disability Power on the Hill

Nearly 100 Advocates from across the including LIFTT's Jed Barton decended upon Washington D.C. for the AAPD Hill Day Group picture of 90+ people on white marble stairs leading into the US Capitol Building

Nearly 100 Advocates from across the country, including LIFTT’s Jed Barton (fourth from the left on the second to top row), descended upon Washington, D.C. for the AAPD Disability Power on the Hill Event. This group picture was taken just outside the Capitol building on the stairs that lead into the US Senate Chamber (AAPD Photo)

Jed Brings Montana to D.C.

Every so often, the disability community gathers in Washington, D.C. to remind the halls of power that independence and inclusion are not optional extras: they are rights. This September 2025, LIFTT’s own Public Relations and Government Affairs Specialist Jed Barton carried that message all the way from Billings, MT, to Capitol Hill as part of the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) Disability Power on the Hill event.

The journey wasn’t glamorous (five days of travel and meetings will wear down even the toughest Montanan). Still, the purpose was clear: show lawmakers that people with disabilities are engaged, informed, and determined to shape the future.

From Montana to the Marble Halls

The event gathered ninety advocates from more than forty states, a diverse, vibrant mix of experiences, stories, and perspectives. Jed found himself shoulder to shoulder with people who cut across every imaginable line of race, identity, and disability. The energy was electric: each story sparked a spark, each conversation a reminder that disability advocacy is a national movement with local roots.

And Jed? He brought Montana’s voice into the mix: the voice of rural communities where Medicaid and SNAP aren’t political abstractions, but lifelines.

Policy, Pizza, and Power Naps

Between panel discussions on Medicaid changes and budget cuts, Jed squeezed in some very human moments. His first instinct was to visit a Smithsonian Museum, but travel fatigue had other plans. Instead, he opted for a nap and a slice of D.C. pizza. Advocacy, after all, takes fuel.

This balance of the serious and the ordinary ran through the whole trip. One moment, he was listening to experts warn about the risks of work requirements for Medicaid. Next, he was sharing his previous D.C. experiences with first-time visitors to the capital. Both matter because advocacy is about policy and people.

On the Hill

Tuesday was prep day: training on how to speak to congressional staff and which bills to highlight. By Wednesday, it was showtime. Jed made his way through the labyrinth of Senate and House office buildings, coffee in hand, determination in stride. He attended Montana’s traditional “Constituent Coffee” (yes, our delegation really does gather Montanans for juice, pastries, and quick chats every Wednesday morning) before dashing between meetings with staff from Rep. Troy Downing, Sen. Steve Daines, and Sen. Tim Sheehy.

He told the LIFTT story: who we serve, what we’re building, and why independent living programs matter in eastern Montana. He also championed national disability priorities, including ending subminimum wages, raising outdated SSI savings limits, and finally funding special education as Congress had promised fifty years ago.

Why It Matters

By the end of the trip, Jed had walked miles, traded handshakes, and planted seeds of connection. It may not make headlines tomorrow, but those meetings matter. A staffer who met Jed this September 2025 may remember his face when an email from Montana lands on their desk six months from now. A Senator who hears from LIFTT may be more likely to listen when funding is on the line.

Advocacy is both big and small: it’s pushing for sweeping laws that protect millions, and it’s also grabbing coffee with a Senator and making sure they know your community exists. We are grateful that Jed was equipped to do both and do it with intelligence, wit, and the kind of hard work that reminds us why representation matters.

Gratitude and Joy

Jed’s trip was made possible through the sponsorship and support of both AAPD and LIFTT. Jed, LIFTT’s team, and our communities express profound gratitude for that opportunity. Without the investment of these organizations, Montana’s voice might have been absent from those vital conversations.

Jed (Left) with a group of disability advocates from Texas in front of the US Capitol. (AAPD Photo)

What meant the most to Jed, though, was not only the chance to walk the halls of Congress but to walk beside fellow advocates from across the nation. Meeting nearly a hundred Americans who, like him, are ambassadors of Independent Living was a joy and a revelation. Each brought their own story, their own perspective, and their own courage, and together they embodied the truth that the disability community is not just present, but powerful.

About Living Independently for Today & Tomorrow (LIFTT): LIFTT is a Montana 501(c)3 corporation organized as a Center for Independent Living (CIL). With team members based in Billings and Glendive, LIFTT provides aging and disabled members of the community with programs and services that help empower them to break down the physical, bureaucratic, and cultural barriers that prevent them from being fully independent participants in their lives and communities throughout 18 counties in southeastern and south-central Montana: Big Horn, Carbon, Carter, Custer, Dawson, Fallon, Garfield, Golden Valley, McCone, Musselshell, Powder River, Prairie, Richland, Rosebud, Stillwater, Treasure, Wibaux, and Yellowstone. For more information, please visit liftt.org or download our mobile app for your Apple or Android Device.

Our Vision: Empowering aging and disabled individuals to LIFTT themselves above the barriers of life.

Our Mission: Living Independently for Today and Tomorrow – LIFTT’s mission is to empower aging and disabled individuals to live independently through education, support, and opportunities.

You can donate to LIFTT by clicking here.

RideWell: Building the future of accessible transportation

In Montana, distance is a fact of life. For many of us, the nearest doctor, college, or even grocery store is not just down the street: it can be 50, 100, or even 200 miles away. In rural communities across Eastern Montana, this distance can mean isolation, especially for older adults and people with disabilities who don’t drive. At LIFTT – Living Independently for Today and Tomorrow, we believe that no one should be cut off from healthcare, education, work, or community life simply because they lack reliable transportation.

That is why we are diligently working to offer to LIFTT’s service area a new ADA-accessible rural transportation program: RideWell.

From Planning to Action

Over the past year, with support from the National Aging and Disability Transportation Center (NADTC), LIFTT has worked closely with community members, local organizations, and state partners to create a “Comprehensive Transportation Plan.” The first draft of this plan, currently under review by the Montana Department of Transportation (MDT), outlines a clear vision for bridging the transportation gap across our service region.

The work has been guided by a strong Advisory Committee comprising local leaders, disability advocates, and residents. Together, we listened to the community, studied the barriers, and imagined what an inclusive transportation system could look like. Out of this effort has come more than a plan: it has produced a vision, a commitment, and now, a program with a name chosen by the community itself.

Why “RideWell”?

When we asked Montanans to help name this new service, they gave us options that were creative, funny, and inspiring. The winning name, RideWell, stood out because it captured what people want most from transportation: reliability, dignity, and health. To “ride well” is to travel safely, to live fully, and to be connected to the places and people that matter.

RideWell is more than a title. It’s a promise.

First Wheels on the Ground

That promise has already begun to take shape. This fall, the first ADA-accessible van for the program, a 2025 Chrysler Voyager outfitted by BraunAbility, arrived in Billings. This vehicle, designed with features that ensure accessibility for all riders, represents the first step in turning a dream into reality. Another van will follow soon, expanding our ability to serve communities across the region.

The excitement around this milestone was palpable at our most recent Advisory Committee meeting, where committee members and staff celebrated the arrival of the van and reflected on how long rural Montanans have been waiting for a program like this.

Why Transportation Matters in Rural Montana

For many, transportation is not just a convenience but a necessity for survival. Without it, a person with diabetes cannot get to regular appointments; a young adult with a disability cannot reach college classes; a grandmother cannot travel to see her grandchildren; a neighbor cannot attend a community event or even shop for groceries. In cities, these problems are often met with buses, trains, or ride-sharing services. But in rural Montana, the options are few, and for those who use wheelchairs or need extra assistance, the options are almost nonexistent.

RideWell is designed to change that reality. By providing ADA-compliant vans and trained drivers, LIFTT will ensure that older adults and people with disabilities can move across our wide-open state with the same dignity and opportunity as anyone else.

Investing in the Future: RideWell and LIFTT’s New Home

As part of this effort, LIFTT is making a bold investment in the future. We are in the process of purchasing two adjacent plots of land in downtown Glendive, where we will build a facility to house RideWell’s vehicles and operations. This shop and garage will ensure the vans are well-maintained and ready to serve. Furthermore, the site will also serve as the location of LIFTT’s new main offices, reflecting our long-term commitment to serving the region from a central, accessible hub.

This is more than bricks and mortar. It is about creating a home for independence, a place where transportation and advocacy meet under one roof, ensuring sustainability for years to come.

Gratitude and Community Power

None of this would have been possible without the support of the NADTC, whose grant gave us the opportunity to plan carefully and dream big. Their support provided not only funding but also knowledge, training, and a national network of peers who share our mission.

We also thank our Advisory Committee and community partners across Eastern Montana. Your voices, ideas, and persistence have shaped every decision. RideWell belongs to all of us, and together we will ensure that it continues to reflect the needs and hopes of the people it serves.

Looking Ahead

With the first vehicle in hand, a Comprehensive Transportation Plan under review, and land secured for our future operations, LIFTT’s RideWell program is no longer just an idea, but it is a reality in motion. The road ahead will involve continued fundraising, expansion of services, and the building of our new facility, but the destination is clear: a Montana where aging and disabled residents can travel with independence, dignity, and confidence. Because in Montana, distance may define the landscape, but it should never define our independence.

RideWell is coming. And with it, a new era of mobility for rural Montana. For more information, visit www.liftt.org or contact our Billings office at (406) 259-5181 or Glendive office at (406) 948-8500.

About Living Independently for Today & Tomorrow (LIFTT): LIFTT is a Montana 501(c)3 corporation organized as a Center for Independent Living (CIL). With team members based in Billings and Glendive, LIFTT provides aging and disabled members of the community with programs and services that help empower them to break down the physical, bureaucratic, and cultural barriers that prevent them from being fully independent participants in their lives and communities throughout 18 counties in southeastern and south-central Montana: Big Horn, Carbon, Carter, Custer, Dawson, Fallon, Garfield, Golden Valley, McCone, Musselshell, Powder River, Prairie, Richland, Rosebud, Stillwater, Treasure, Wibaux, and Yellowstone. For more information, please visit liftt.org or download our mobile app for your Apple or Android Device.

Our Vision: Empowering aging and disabled individuals to LIFTT themselves above the barriers of life.

Our Mission: Living Independently for Today and Tomorrow – LIFTT’s mission is to empower aging and disabled individuals to live independently through education, support, and opportunities.

You can donate to LIFTT by clicking here.

Vocational Rehabilitation Services Available at LIFTT

Living Independently for Today & Tomorrow (LIFTT) is proud to share that we are now an official provider of Vocational Rehabilitation services. This important step expands our mission of empowering people with disabilities to live not only safely and independently at home, but also with dignity and purpose in the workplace.

Vocational Rehabilitation, often referred to as VR, is designed to help individuals with disabilities prepare for, find, and maintain meaningful employment. At its core, the program is about more than paychecks or job titles. Work is an essential part of independence. It enables people to build confidence, achieve financial stability, and become more fully engaged in their community life. For many, finding the right job is the moment when independence truly begins to blossom.

Through LIFTT’s new role as a VR service provider, individuals can receive help exploring career options, building skills through training or education, and connecting with job opportunities. We also assist with workplace accommodations and provide follow-up support to ensure that employment is both successful and sustainable. Every person’s journey is unique. Some may be entering the workforce for the first time, others may be returning after illness or injury, and still others may be looking to move forward after years of underemployment. Whatever the path, LIFTT is here to walk alongside you.

Work matters because it is about belonging. It is about being recognized as a valuable member of society, contributing talents and skills, and shaping a future that reflects personal dreams. By becoming a VR service provider, LIFTT is making sure that individuals with disabilities in our region have the chance to pursue that future with dignity and confidence.

For more information about Vocational Rehabilitation services at LIFTT, please contact:

Tonnette Jensen
Vocational Rehabilitation/Pre-ETS Program Supervisor
Living Independently for Today & Tomorrow (LIFTT)
119 S Kendrick Ave, Glendive, MT 59330
Main: (406) 948-8500 | Direct: (406) 948-8505
Email: tonnettej@liftt.org

At LIFTT, we believe that meaningful work leads to meaningful independence—and we are here to help you find both.

About Living Independently for Today & Tomorrow (LIFTT): LIFTT is a Montana 501(c)3 corporation organized as a Center for Independent Living (CIL). With team members based in Billings and Glendive, LIFTT provides aging and disabled members of the community with programs and services that help empower them to break down the physical, bureaucratic, and cultural barriers that prevent them from being fully independent participants in their lives and communities throughout 18 counties in southeastern and south-central Montana: Big Horn, Carbon, Carter, Custer, Dawson, Fallon, Garfield, Golden Valley, McCone, Musselshell, Powder River, Prairie, Richland, Rosebud, Stillwater, Treasure, Wibaux, and Yellowstone. For more information, please visit liftt.org or download our mobile app for your Apple or Android Device.

Our Vision: Empowering aging and disabled individuals to LIFTT themselves above the barriers of life.

Our Mission: Living Independently for Today and Tomorrow – LIFTT’s mission is to empower aging and disabled individuals to live independently through education, support, and opportunities.

You can donate to LIFTT by clicking here.

Annual Meeting is October 5

The Board of Directors of Living Independently for Today & Tomorrow (LIFTT) will hold its Annual Meeting on Sunday, October 7, 2025, beginning at 8 a.m. at the Billings LIFTT office (1241 Crawford Drive). The public is invited to attend and offer comments during the designated public comment period. The purpose of the Annual Meeting is to elect new board officers for Fiscal Year 2026.

Click here to view or download the agenda for the October 5, 2025 Annual Meeting of the LIFTT Board of Directors (Adobe PDF)

About Living Independently for Today & Tomorrow (LIFTT): LIFTT is a Montana 501(c)3 corporation organized as a Center for Independent Living (CIL). With team members based in Billings and Glendive, LIFTT provides aging and disabled members of the community with programs and services that help empower them to break down the physical, bureaucratic, and cultural barriers that prevent them from being fully independent participants in their lives and communities throughout 18 counties in southeastern and south-central Montana: Big Horn, Carbon, Carter, Custer, Dawson, Fallon, Garfield, Golden Valley, McCone, Musselshell, Powder River, Prairie, Richland, Rosebud, Stillwater, Treasure, Wibaux, and Yellowstone. For more information, please visit liftt.org or download our mobile app for your Apple or Android Device.

Our Vision: Empowering aging and disabled individuals to LIFTT themselves above the barriers of life.

Our Mission: Living Independently for Today and Tomorrow – LIFTT’s mission is to empower aging and disabled individuals to live independently through education, support, and opportunities.

You can donate to LIFTT by clicking here.

Volunteer or Partner with LIFTT!

The truth is that LIFTT can’t do it alone!

Join Us and Be Part of the Movement!

We believe in community-powered independence. Whether you can give a couple of hours a month, share your skills, or attend our events to offer support, your involvement matters. Volunteers help us stretch our resources, deepen our impact, and keep the spirit of independence alive in Montana.

Here are a few ways to get involved

Volunteer: Help with events, outreach, or office support
Partner: If you represent a business or community group, let’s collaborate.
Spread the Word: Share our story with friends, family, and neighbors.

Together, we can ensure that independence isn’t just a value we talk about—it’s a reality we build, side by side. To learn more or sign up to volunteer, please call or visit us at 1241 Crawford Drive, Billings, MT 59102 · (406) 259-5181, or 119 South Kendrick, Glendive, MT 59330 · (406) 948-8500, or online at liftt.org.

At LIFTT, survival isn’t just about keeping the lights on; it’s about shining brighter. With your help, we will.

About Living Independently for Today & Tomorrow (LIFTT): LIFTT is a Montana 501(c)3 corporation organized as a Center for Independent Living (CIL). With team members based in Billings and Glendive, LIFTT provides aging and disabled members of the community with programs and services that help empower them to break down the physical, bureaucratic, and cultural barriers that prevent them from being fully independent participants in their lives and communities throughout 18 counties in southeastern and south-central Montana: Big Horn, Carbon, Carter, Custer, Dawson, Fallon, Garfield, Golden Valley, McCone, Musselshell, Powder River, Prairie, Richland, Rosebud, Stillwater, Treasure, Wibaux, and Yellowstone. For more information, please visit liftt.org or download our mobile app for your Apple or Android Device.

Our Vision: Empowering aging and disabled individuals to LIFTT themselves above the barriers of life.

Our Mission: Living Independently for Today and Tomorrow – LIFTT’s mission is to empower aging and disabled individuals to live independently through education, support, and opportunities.

You can donate to LIFTT by clicking here.

MFP: A New Path Home with LIFTT

A new program at LIFTT, Money Follows the Person (MFP), creates a pathway for elders and individuals with disabilities to transition out of nursing homes and other institutions, receiving services and supports in their own homes and communities. (stock image)

Sometimes “home” isn’t where you are. Sometimes, it’s where you wish you could be. For many aging Montanans currently living in nursing homes, the desire to move into a more independent, community-based setting, like assisted living, is strong, but the barriers feel impossible.

That’s where Money Follows the Person (MFP) comes in. And now, thanks to a new partnership, LIFTT – Living Independently for Today & Tomorrow is bringing this program to Big Horn, Carbon, Carter, Custer, Dawson, Fallon, Garfield, Golden Valley, McCone, Musselshell, Powder River, Prairie, Richland, Rosebud, Stillwater, Treasure, Wibaux, and Yellowstone Counties.

What is Money Follows the Person?

MFP is a Medicaid program with a simple but powerful vision: help people transition from institutional care back into community living. For older adults who have spent at least 60 consecutive days in a nursing home, MFP offers both practical assistance and peace of mind during the move to a more independent setting.

This isn’t just a program about dollars. It’s about dignity. It’s about helping people say, “Yes, I can live where I want, with the services and supports I need.”

How does it work?

Participants receive support with essential moving costs, such as rent deposits, furnishings, or past-due utilities. Beyond logistics, MFP also provides assistive technology, peer support, and home modifications to ensure the transition is both safe and sustainable. For the first year in your new setting, case managers check in regularly, ensuring that independence never feels like isolation.

Why does this matter?

For too long, many Montanans have felt “stuck” in nursing homes and other institutions, even when their hearts and hopes pointed elsewhere. MFP changes that narrative. It recognizes that people are more than their care needs; they are neighbors, storytellers, and members of a community who thrive best when given the freedom to choose where they live.

Is MFP for me or my loved one?

If you or a loved one is currently in a nursing home and wondering if assisted living could be the next chapter, LIFTT’s MFP Regional Transitional Coordinators are here to walk beside you. For more information, contact either Pamela Ramirez at (406) 294-5189, pamelar@liftt.org, or Dineva Bower at (406) 831-0037, dinevab@liftt.org.

About Living Independently for Today & Tomorrow (LIFTT): LIFTT is a Montana 501(c)3 corporation organized as a Center for Independent Living (CIL). With team members based in Billings and Glendive, LIFTT provides aging and disabled members of the community with programs and services that help empower them to break down the physical, bureaucratic, and cultural barriers that prevent them from being fully independent participants in their lives and communities throughout 18 counties in southeastern and south-central Montana: Big Horn, Carbon, Carter, Custer, Dawson, Fallon, Garfield, Golden Valley, McCone, Musselshell, Powder River, Prairie, Richland, Rosebud, Stillwater, Treasure, Wibaux, and Yellowstone. For more information, please visit liftt.org or download our mobile app for your Apple or Android Device.

Our Vision: Empowering aging and disabled individuals to LIFTT themselves above the barriers of life.

Our Mission: Living Independently for Today and Tomorrow – LIFTT’s mission is to empower aging and disabled individuals to live independently through education, support, and opportunities.

You can donate to LIFTT by clicking here.

Community Vaccine Clinic September 30

LIFTT and RiverStone Health will sponsor a community vaccine clinic on Tuesday, September 30, 2025 from 11:30 to 12:30 p.m. at LIFTT’s Billings office (1241 Crawford Drive)

Living Independently for Today & Tomorrow (LIFTT), in partnership with RiverStone Health, will hold a community vaccine clinic on Tuesday, September 30, from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Billings LIFTT office (1241 Crawford Drive).

Vaccines scheduled to be available include Influenza, COVID, Tetanus, Diphtheria, Pertussis (Tdap), Shingles, Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV), Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, and Human papillomavirus (HPV). Medicare, Medicaid, and private Insurance cover all of these vaccinations. Patients wishing to use insurance must present their insurance card before immunization.

Doses of the Tdap, Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, COVID, HPV, and Flu vaccines are available free of charge to those without healthcare coverage on a first-come, first-served basis.

For more information about the September 30 Community Vaccine Clinic and LIFTT’s work on vaccine access, please contact LIFTT at (406) 259-5181 or visit liftt.org/contact.

About Living Independently for Today & Tomorrow (LIFTT): LIFTT is a Montana 501(c)3 corporation organized as a Center for Independent Living (CIL). With team members based in Billings and Glendive, LIFTT provides aging and disabled members of the community with programs and services that help empower them to break down the physical, bureaucratic, and cultural barriers that prevent them from being fully independent participants in their lives and communities throughout 18 counties in southeastern and south-central Montana: Big Horn, Carbon, Carter, Custer, Dawson, Fallon, Garfield, Golden Valley, McCone, Musselshell, Powder River, Prairie, Richland, Rosebud, Stillwater, Treasure, Wibaux, and Yellowstone. For more information, please visit liftt.org or download our mobile app for your Apple or Android Device.

You can donate to LIFTT by clicking here.