LIFTT is leading the charge for independence and inclusion as we step into 2025 with a focus on our core services and new innovative programs.
As we step into 2025, Living Independently for Today and Tomorrow (LIFTT) remains steadfast in its mission to empower individuals with disabilities. We are leading the charge for independence and inclusion, making them not just ideals but lived realities for countless Montanans. Through innovative programs, evidence-based services, and the unwavering dedication of our team, LIFTT continues to break down barriers and build up communities. This year, we are proud to deliver our comprehensive range of services and initiatives designed to transform lives across southeastern Montana.
Core Services: Supporting Independence at Every Stage
1. Information & Referral (I&R): Empowering Through Knowledge
Knowledge is power; at LIFTT, our I&R services are designed to be more than transactional — they are transformative. With over 4,186 inquiries addressed in FY 2023-2024, our specialists are ready to connect individuals with critical resources like Medicaid, housing, and assistive technology. This year, we aim to expand these efforts, ensuring every connection leads to a solution.
2. Advocacy: Amplifying Voices, Dismantling Barriers
Whether advocating for individual rights under the ADA or working systemically to influence policies, LIFTT remains a relentless force for change. Advocacy is not just about altering laws; it’s about shifting mindsets and creating a culture where independence and inclusion are the norm.
3. Peer Support: Building Strength Through Solidarity
LIFTT’s peer support programs create spaces for truth-telling, growth, and transformation. Disabled individuals lead and inspire one another, proving that lived experience is a powerful tool for resilience and empowerment.
4. Independent Living Skills Training: Thriving Beyond Survival
Life is our classroom. From financial literacy to public transportation navigation, our Independent Living Specialists equip individuals with the skills they need to thrive independently.
5. Institutional Transition & Diversion: From Isolation to Integration
Freedom is fundamental. In 2025, LIFTT will continue to help individuals transition from institutional settings into community-based living, transforming dreams of independence into reality.
6. Youth Transitions: Empowering the Next Generation
Partnering with Montana Vocational Rehabilation’s Pre-Employment Transitions Services (Pre-ETS), LIFTT prepares youth with disabilities for education, careers, and adulthood. This year, we will expand our reach, ensuring every young person has the tools to chart their own course.
Innovative Initiatives: The Future of Independent Living
1. ADA Accessible Rural Transportation Program
This groundbreaking program brings independence to Montana’s rural communities. By addressing transportation barriers, we are ensuring that no one is left behind.
Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP)
LIFTT’s DPP is reshaping how we approach food and health. With informative class sessions and meals that are both diabetes-friendly and delicious, we’re promoting a cultural shift toward healthier living for all.
Looking Ahead: A Vision for Inclusion
LIFTT’s charge and goal for 2025 is clear: to remove barriers, empower individuals, and create inclusive communities. Whether through practical support like wheelchair ramps or systemic efforts to change policies, LIFTT is committed to proving that independence is a right, not a privilege. This year, we invite all Montanans to join us in this transformative journey. Together, we can redefine what it means to live independently, ensuring a future where inclusion and equity are within everyone’s reach. Stay tuned for updates as we roll out these programs and initiatives throughout 2025. Independence isn’t just our mission — it’s our promise.
For more information or to get involved, Visit us online at LIFTT.org, Follow us on Facebook & Instagram, or stop by one of our offices:
- Billings: 1241 Crawford Drive, (406) 259-5181
- Glendive: 119 S. Kendrick Avenue, (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 people with disabilities 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.