“The Wall That Heals,” A traveling replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, will visit Billings from July 2-5. A three-quarter scale replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. The wall includes the names of over 58,000 United States Armed Forces personnel killed serving in Southeast Asia between 1955 and 1975. (Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund)
As Billings prepares to welcome The Wall That Heals this July, many community members will have an opportunity to reflect on the sacrifices made by America’s veterans and their families.
For some, the visit will be deeply personal. For others, it will be an opportunity to learn, remember, and honor those who served.
At LIFTT, honoring veterans means more than remembering the past. It also means helping veterans live independently today and tomorrow.
Many veterans face challenges related to aging, mobility, chronic health conditions, hearing loss, vision loss, transportation barriers, housing accessibility, social isolation, or other disabilities that may affect daily life. Navigating available resources can sometimes feel overwhelming, especially for individuals living in rural communities.
That is where LIFTT can help.
As the Center for Independent Living serving Southeast and South-central Montana, LIFTT works with veterans to identify goals, overcome barriers, and connect with resources that support greater independence and community participation.
Our Independent Living Specialists can assist veterans with information and referral services, benefits navigation, peer support, independent living skills training, advocacy, housing resources, transportation options, assistive technology, wellness programs, and connections to community services.
Most importantly, we recognize that every veteran’s experience is unique. Our role is not to tell people how to live their lives. Our role is to provide information, support, and opportunities so individuals can make informed choices and achieve the goals that matter most to them.
The Independent Living philosophy is built on self-determination, dignity, choice, and community inclusion. These values often resonate strongly with veterans who have spent their lives serving others and overcoming challenges.
As Billings welcomes The Wall That Heals, a traveling replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, we encourage our community to take time to reflect on the service and sacrifice of those who answered our nation’s call. The exhibit will be open to the public at Will James Middle School from July 2 through July 5 and will rely on volunteers and community support to make the event a success.
To all veterans throughout our service area, we want you to know that LIFTT is here for you.
Whether you are seeking information, support, advocacy, wellness programs, transportation resources, or simply a place to begin, our staff are ready to help.
Thank you for your service. Thank you for your sacrifice. And thank you for allowing us the privilege of serving you.
Because independence is something worth defending, preserving, and supporting.
For more information, please contact Pamela Ramirez, Independent Living Program Manager & MFP Regional Transition Coordinator at (406) 294-5189 or pamalar@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, services, resources and advocacy 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 device.
Our Vision: Empowering aging individuals and people with disabilities to LIFTT themselves above the barriers of life.
Our Mission: Living Independently for Today and Tomorrow’s (LIFTT’s) mission as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit Center for Independent Living serving Southeastern Montana is to empower aging individuals and people with disabilities to live independently through education, support, and opportunities.