News - Page 8 of 39

Electronic Intakes Coming to LIFTT

LIFTT Is Going Digital!

At LIFTT, we are constantly working to be more resourceful and responsible with the use of taxpayer dollars. In line with this commitment, we’re excited to announce that we’re entering the testing phase of electronic intakes!

What is Electronic Intake?

Electronic Intake gives potential consumers seeking services from LIFTT the option to provide basic information—like their name, address, date of birth, phone number, email, and more—through a secure online portal. This process helps us capture the necessary data quickly and accurately, reducing errors and ensuring faster, more efficient service delivery.

What Does This Mean for You?

Consumers seeking assistance from LIFTT will soon have the option to complete their intake information online. This data will be sent directly into our secure database, saving time, minimizing clerical errors, and allowing our team to focus more on providing essential services rather than doing data entry. Once submitted, our team will be notified via email, and the Independent Living process will begin!

No Internet or Smartphone? No Problem!

If you don’t have access to the internet or a mobile device, you can still complete your intake using the traditional paper method. We’re dedicated to making sure our services remain accessible to everyone.

Questions or Concerns?

If you have any questions about this new feature, please contact our Database Manager, Freda Mook, at (406) 294-5182 or via email at fredam@liftt.org. Stay tuned for more updates as we roll out this exciting improvement!

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.

Budget Battle Update

We are rapidly approaching the final quarter of LIFTT’s fiscal year; time is sprinting toward October 1, 2025, the start of FY 2026. Let me ask you: Are we going to have a financial runway? Are we going to remain open? Will we continue serving South Central and Eastern Montana like we have pledged? Can we actually finish the ADA‑Accessible Rural Transportation Program? Further, what about all the other agendas we kicked off this year?

The simple truth: No, because the grants and funding streams that keep LIFTT (and every American Center for Independent Living) alive are shrouded in deep uncertainty.

Here is what we know:

The Executive branch has unleashed its FY 2026 “skinny budget” — a sweeping package that would slash domestic, non-defense spending by $163 billion, disassembling agencies such as USAID, EPA, NIH, CDC, HUD, and dismantling critical social-safety-net programs.
The Administration for Community Living (ACL), the hub that funds programs like Aging & Disability Resource Centers, Protection & Advocacy, and Independent Living, has been singled out. The proposal would abolish ACL, dispersing its duties into a newly created Administration for Children, Families & Communities. Key programs such as Protection & Advocacy, UCEDDs, and voting access could vanish. Even though the FY 2026 budget justification calls for level funding of CIL grants (Part C) and an increase to Part B State Grants. That funding comes saddled with a caveat: money could be reallocated to fill the gap from eliminated programs.
On Capitol Hill, the US House budget reconciliation bill (passed May 22) includes Medicaid cuts of $715 billion over 10 years, risking the loss of healthcare coverage for 13.7 million Americans, obviously including many people with disabilities and rural residents.
States and advocacy groups are sounding alarm bells. The Disability Rights Center of Kansas reports that protection and advocacy grants plummeted from $45 million (FY 2025) to zero in FY 2026. The Center for Nonprofit Excellence warns of sweeping cuts for housing, environmental agendas, public health, and substance abuse programs by up to 22.6%.
National organizations, such as the National Council on Independent Living (NCIL), the Associated Programs for Rural Independent Living (APRIL), and the National Association of State Independent Living Councils (NASILC), are united in their response. While recognizing that the leaked OMB memo preserves CIL funding for now, they emphasize that several disability programs are threatened as ACL is dismantled. These organizations are urging lawmakers to uphold funding and resist infrastructural upheaval.

So… what does this mean for LIFTT?

Grant monies for FY 2026? Still unknown. The White House has dropped a preliminary blueprint that could eliminate urban disability supports, voting access, transportation programs, and state councils without prior warning.
Our ADA Rural Transportation Program? On shaky ground. If FTA and/or ACL program grants are trimmed or delayed, our wheels will not move forward.
Staffing and services? The House bill’s Medicaid/SNAP reductions risk stretching Montana’s rural hospitals and physical access supports to their breaking points. Our referral partners will be forced to scale back, which will impact LIFTT’s ripple effect.

Let us not despair

Yes, the President’s “skinny budget” is only a wish list. Congress has the final say. We anticipate that there will be pushback: GOP appropriators are already distancing themselves from the cuts. In fact, thanks to advocacy, some aging & disability programs earlier slated for funding elimination have been saved (but have been flat-funded, which still equates to cuts when inflation is factored in).

Still, the entire process hinges on timing:

The White House budget debuts in Spring 2025 (April–May)
Congressional appropriations and/or reconciliation debates commence in Summer–Fall 2025
Final FY 2026 budget adjustments must be done by September 30

That leaves us with a window from now until late September in a tight deficit limbo.

**What you can do:**

Write letters, make calls, and alert Congress, particularly our Montana delegation of Senator Daines, Senator Sheehy, Representative Downing, and Representative Zinke, not to zero out ACL, not to slash Medicaid or SNAP, and to protect CIL funding for the rural population of Montana.
Partner with LIFTT, the Montana CILs, NCIL, APRIL, and NASILC to keep your voice heard.
Prepare for contingencies, including program delays, ramped-up fundraising efforts, and volunteer shortages. Let’s draw up our upside blueprint now in the event of grant checks getting delayed or canceled.

The last quarter is here: Our future is murky. LIFTT’s fight is now.

We have passed the “hope” and “inspiration” phase. The grants that seed our programs are under ideological siege. If Congress folds, LIFTT will lose core funding, which will threaten service continuity. We can advocate, prepare, and communicate with staff, board, and community alike. When October 1 arrives, despite the outcome, LIFTT should be ready to adapt, pivot, and push forward, because “independent living” doesn’t end with budget cuts — it begins.

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.

LWC Rendezvous 2025: Soaking up Strategy and Wellness

LIFTT CHW / IL Specialist Rachial Combs (left) and Peer Program Coordinator Tanya Thomas (right) working on a project during the recent Living Well in Community (LWC) Rendezvous at Fairmont Hot Springs. The Rendezvous brings together LWC facilitators from all four Montana CILs to discuss the LWC curriculum and trade tips on how to conduct exciting and engaging classes.

What do you get when you mix energizing wellness workshops, inspiring peer connections, and a backdrop of mountain air and hot springs? A Rendezvous that lives up to its name! From June 24 to June 25, 2025, Rachial Combs, our trailblazing Community Health Worker (CHW) / Independent Living (IL) Specialist, and Tanya Thomas, our ever-enthusiastic Peer Program Coordinator, took a dive (maybe even a literal one — swimsuits were encouraged!) into the vibrant two-day Living Well in Community (LWC) Rendezvous. Held at the scenic Fairmont Hot Springs Resort in Anaconda, this gathering was more than a meeting — it was a movement.

A Whirlwind of Wellness

Day 1: Post-its, Planning, and Positivity

Armed with laptops, comfy clothes, and (hopefully) their favorite water bottles, participants kicked off the Rendezvous with Post-it reflections and guided imagery — because nothing says “we’re serious about self-care” like asking yourself if you’re a crock pot thinker or a microwave thinker before 9 A.M.!

After grounding exercises and setting group expectations, the real fun began with a Social Determinants of Health Game, where collaboration met competition in the name of understanding barriers and bridges to wellness. Rachial and Tanya dove into discussions on building community partnerships with organizations like the Salvation Army, Summit IL, and LIFTT’s very own chronic disease prevention initiatives.

Cookies at 3:00? Yes please. But not before taking a group photo, sharing facilitator tips in Margaret’s Corner, and brainstorming how to supercharge monthly LWC meetings. These dynamic sessions sparked practical ideas and meaningful connections. And we’d bet Rachial and Tanya left the room buzzing with inspiration—and probably cookie crumbs.

Day 2: Peer-Powered Progress

Refueled with breakfast and Post-it thoughts (Round 3!), day two hit the ground running. Facilitators shared creative tactics, clever incentives, and recruiting strategies that would encourage even the shyest peer to sign up for the LWC workshops. Rachial and Tanya contributed to a group success story writing session, spotlighting the transformative impact of Living Well with Chronic Conditions workshops. The morning crescendoed with collaborative planning for 2025–2026 and ended with heartfelt reflections, resource reminders, and, of course, evaluations.

What We Loved

The playful yet purposeful Post-it prompts that sparked soul-searching and laughter.
The unexpected metaphorical brilliance of crock pots vs. microwaves.
Always the cookies.
Rachial and Tanya are bringing back fresh energy and big ideas to enrich LIFTT’s wellness programming.

Save the Date!

Keep your calendars open: LWC Facilitator Trainings are scheduled for August 5, 7, 12, 14, 19, 21, and 26. Get ready for more learning, sharing, and doing what we do best — lifting each other up. From guided imagery to grounded strategy, from shared meals to shared missions — Rachial and Tanya’s Rendezvous adventure reminds us that Living Well is a team effort, and LIFTT is proud to be part of that movement. Stay tuned for more updates, stories, and yes—more cookies. For more information about LWC workshops, please contact Tanya Thomas at (406) 702-8927, tanyat@liftt.org, or Rachial Combs at (406) 831-0017, rachialc@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.

You can donate to LIFTT by clicking here.

What does the Trump budget mean for Aging and Disability Programs?

On March 11, 2025, President Trump released his budget proposal, calling for a 22.6% cut in domestic discretionary spending, a staggering $163 billion reduction. While Congress holds the ultimate authority to pass a final budget, this proposal signals deep potential consequences for the very programs that empower aging and disabled individuals to live independently in their homes and communities.

Why This Matters for LIFTT and Our Community

Living Independently for Today & Tomorrow (LIFTT) is a federally recognized Center for Independent Living. Like other CILs across the nation, we rely on a mix of federal funding through the Administration for Community Living (ACL), the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), and other discretionary grants to deliver core services. In LIFTT’s case, these services include Personal Care Assistance (PCA), Independent Living services, Advocacy, Home Modifications, Housing and Transportation Assistance, Vocational rehabilitation and Pre-ETS services, Diabetes prevention and health promotion, Peer mentorship and community reintegration.

If the proposed cuts were enacted, the consequences would be serious, as follows:

Reductions in staffing and services at LIFTT and CILs across the country, meaning fewer people served, fewer home visits, and fewer supports.
Elimination or contraction of rural transportation programs that are often the only accessible option for those living in isolated areas.
Delays or denials in critical Medicaid-funded services, especially for people with complex needs who depend on long-term care supports.
Erosion of independent living options, resulting in greater institutionalization and fewer choices for older adults and disabled people.
Disruption to health, safety, employment, and education for thousands of Americans who rely on these programs not only to survive, but to thrive.

This is not just about budgets. It’s about people.

LIFTT’s mission is rooted in the belief that every person deserves dignity, choice, and autonomy. We are deeply concerned that this proposed budget undermines that vision. That said, this is not the final word. The President’s budget is only a proposal — Congress has the power to decide what gets funded.

Now is the time to make our voices heard.

We call on our partners, community members, and allies to speak out in support of the Independent Living Movement. Share your story. Contact your representatives. Help ensure that vital services continue for our most vulnerable neighbors. You can start by going to congress.gov/find-your-member and entering your address into the search prompt. You will receive contact information for the representative for your district and the senators from your state.

At LIFTT, we are planning, advocating, and working collaboratively with partners across the state and nation to protect the programs that matter most. We will not stop fighting for the people we serve. Together, we can defend the future of the Independent Living Movement.

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.

You can donate to LIFTT by clicking here.

PCA Team Receives Glowing Review

We are proud to share that LIFTT’s PCA Program has received a glowing review from the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services. Our team’s Self-Direct Provider Quality Assurance Report submission was recognized for its thoroughness, clarity, and commitment to excellence. In the reviewer’s words, the findings “suggest you have a comprehensive understanding of the outcome-based nature of this review process,” and praised the care and attention given to the standards and policies submitted.

This achievement reflects the hard work, knowledge, and dedication of the PCA team—program Supervisors Lanette Brown and Holly Hanson, as well as Program Facilitators Kylie Leeper, Madison Scott, Melea Roark, and Tana Stone. It also highlights LIFTT’s ongoing commitment to serving aging and disabled Montanans with integrity and professionalism.

Well done, PCA Team! Your work empowers individuals to live independently with dignity and choice.

For more information about Medicaid Self-Directed PCA services at LIFTT and see if you or someone you know might be eligible, click here or call our offices in Billings at (406) 259-5181 or Glendive 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.

You can donate to LIFTT by clicking here.

LIFTT joins Give Local Glendive

LIFTT Team Members Shilo Midelstead and Tana Stone visit with a youngster during the Give Local Glendive Event at the Eastern Plains Event Center on May 1, 2025. Give Local Glendive brought local nonprofits, businesses, and community members together to generate awareness of community programs, foster civic pride, and celebrate generosity.

On May 1, 2025, LIFTT proudly participated in Give Local Glendive – Community Day of Giving, an inspiring event organized by the Glendive Chamber of Commerce & Agriculture and the Greater Glendive Community Foundation to celebrate generosity, civic pride, and local impact.

Held at the Eastern Plains Events Center downtown Glendive, the event brought together nonprofits, businesses, and community members with one shared goal: to strengthen local organizations that serve the people of Eastern Montana. LIFTT’s team was on hand to connect with attendees, share information about our services, and highlight the many ways we support aging and individuals with disabilities across our 18-county service area.

Our presence at the event helped increase public awareness of LIFTT’s mission, programs, and new transportation initiative in Eastern Montana. It also provided a valuable opportunity to build relationships with local residents, leaders, and fellow service providers.

We are grateful to the Glendive Chamber, Greater Glendive Community Foundation, and to everyone who stopped by our booth, asked questions, or showed support. Events like these reinforce our belief in the power of community partnerships and the importance of making LIFTT’s services visible and accessible to all.

For more information about LIFTT’s operation in Glendive and the eastern portion of our service area, please call our Glendive office at (406) 948-8500 or stop by the office at 119 S. Kenderick Avenue. We are open Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m

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.

LIFTT Renews Partnership with MTDH

Living Independently for Today & Tomorrow (LIFTT) has renewed its partnership with a long-time collaborator, The Montana Disability & Health Program (MTDH). In 2025, we are proud to work with MTDH on three projects that continue championing the rights, health, wellness, and independence of people with disabilities across our region.

Living Well in the Community (LWC) Workshops

LIFTT is training and supporting up to five facilitators to lead or co-lead LWC workshops, which promote self-determination, goal setting, and wellness for people with disabilities. These evidence-based workshops help participants develop skills to manage their health and daily life more effectively, offering encouragement and tools for independent living.

Accessibility Ambassadors Program

Our team works alongside community partners to conduct ADA Assessments and Inclusive Interdisciplinary Walk/Move (I²) Audits. These initiatives identify and reduce physical and systemic barriers, fostering more inclusive and accessible spaces in our neighborhoods. Accessibility Ambassadors play a vital role in ensuring that the built environment respects the rights and dignity of all community members.

Wellness Club and Linkage Events

LIFTT also hosts Wellness Club and Linkage events that connect consumers to peer support, health education, and community resources. These workshops build meaningful connections and reinforce a sense of belonging, empowerment, and holistic health among people with disabilities.

Each of these programs supports health, leadership, and community engagement, reflecting LIFTT’s commitment to promoting advocacy, accessibility, and inclusion to help Montanans with disabilities live fuller, more independent lives. We thank MTDH for their continued partnership with LIFTT and our consumers.

For more information about LIFTT’s MTDH projects as well as our many other programs and services, please give us a call at (406) 259-5181 (Billings), (406) 948-8500 (Glendive), or send us an email at 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.

Motherhood, Disability, and the Quiet Architecture of Resilience

Motherhood has always been a story of improvisation, courage, and unseen labor. But when disability intersects with motherhood — whether in the mother herself, her child, or her community — the story becomes even richer, more intricate, more demanding of the kind of perseverance that builds legacies in silence.

As we approach Mother’s Day, it’s important to acknowledge an often overlooked truth: that many mothers in our communities are engaged daily in strategic living.

They are not only caregivers. They are advocates. They are navigators of invisible systems. They are builders of possibility in landscapes shaped by inaccessibility, misunderstanding, and, too often, indifference.’

For mothers living with disabilities, the world often demands more than should ever be asked. They must raise families while educating schools, employers, policymakers, and even strangers, about their worth and needs. They must plan, adapt, negotiate, and sometimes fight, simply to have the same opportunities that others take for granted.

For mothers raising children with disabilities, every small victory — an accessible playground, a supportive teacher, a working elevator — feels monumental. The work is not just at the bedside or the breakfast table; it is also in the letters written, the meetings attended, the systems challenged, and the dreams defended, day after day.

These mothers are tacticians of resilience. They know how to reimagine plans at a moment’s notice, endure when endurance feels impossible, and celebrate every achievement, however small, with a joy sharpened by the required effort.

At LIFTT, we understand that independence is not a solo journey — it is a collective act, sustained by communities, families, and, very often, by the strategic wisdom of mothers who refuse to give up on a future where all people can belong, thrive, and lead.

This Mother’s Day, we honor these architects of hope. We celebrate their quiet rebellions against barriers, their fierce defense of dignity, and their relentless shaping of spaces where independence is not a dream but a right.

Their work is not always visible, but everywhere—in every ramp built, every opportunity opened, and every life lifted higher.

Happy Mother’s Day to all who mother, nurture resilience, and believe in a world made more inclusive by love and perseverance.

With deep gratitude and respect,

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

Carlos can be reached at (406) 294-5190 or carlosr@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.

You can donate to LIFTT by clicking here.

SAIL Classes begin May 27

Living Independently for Today and Tomorrow (LIFTT) is excited to announce that we have received a generous grant from the Montana Department of Public Health & Human Services to participate in the Stay Active & Independent for Life (SAIL) Program! Beginning this summer, LIFTT will offer free SAIL classes designed for adults 65 and older. These classes will focus on building strength, balance, and flexibility, which are critical to maintaining independence, preventing falls, and improving overall well-being.

The SAIL Program is a 12-week evidence-based fitness series in which participants engage in exercises that can be performed standing or seated, as desired. Each session includes balance, strength, and stretching routines, and participants’ fitness progress will be assessed through periodic checks such as the 8-Foot Timed Up and Go Test, Bicep Curls, and Chair-Stand Exercises.

Through the support of the SAIL grant, LIFTT will be able to cover the costs of specialized equipment, instructor training, and accessible venues, ensuring that these vital classes are offered at no cost to our aging community members.

Why Bring SAIL to LIFTT?

20% of Montana adults report not engaging in regular physical activity.
Two out of three Montana adults are overweight or obese.
Regular exercise improves balance and reduces the risk of falls, significantly decreasing the chance of injury, hospitalization, or loss of independence.
LIFTT’s mission has always been to empower aging and disabled individuals to live independently, and the SAIL program perfectly fits that vision.

The first SAIL training class at LIFTT begins its voyage with an orientation session on Tuesday, May 27 at 10 a.m. at the Billings LIFTT office (1241 Crawford Drive), with subsequent sessions held Tuesdays and Thursdays at 10 a.m. through August 14.

For more information about LIFTT’s SAIL training or to register, contact LIFTT’s Nutritional Health Coaches and certified SAIL trainers: Anya Pulis (406) 606-1766, anyap@liftt.org, or Eileen Rodgriguz (406) 294-5185, eileenr@liftt.org. More about the SAIL curriculum is available at sailfitness.org or through the Montana DPHHS Chronic Disease and Health Promotion Bureau.

Let’s move together toward a stronger future!

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.

LIFTT Expands Partnership with Vocational Rehabilitation

Living Independently for Today and Tomorrow (LIFTT) is proud to announce that we are expanding our partnership wth Montana Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) services! Together, we are providing support for adults and students with disabilities as they prepare for greater independence, employment, and success.

Through this collaboration with Vocational Rehabilitation, LIFTT is now offering services for

Adults Seeking Employment and Independence:

Career exploration and planning
Soft skills training and supported employment
Skills training, job placement, and retention support
Assistive technology and workplace accommodations
Support for independent living and community engagement
Customized employment services based on individual strengths and goals

Youth and Students (Ages 14–21) through Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS):

Job exploration counseling
Soft skills training and supported employment
Work-based learning experiences like internships and job shadowing
Workplace readiness training (communication, problem-solving, professionalism)
Counseling on post-secondary education and training opportunities
Self-advocacy instruction to promote independence and empowerment

Whether you are a student preparing for your first job or an adult ready for new career opportunities, LIFTT and VR support your journey toward success! For more information about vocational rehabilitation services through LIFTT, call (406) 259-5181 (Billings) or (406) 948-8500 (Glendive), send us a message through liftt.org/contact, or reach out to your regional VR office.

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.