A rendering of LIFTT’s new Glendive home.The former KXGN Building at 206 Douglas Street will house LIFTT’s Independent Living Services, an upLIFTT Thrift store, and RideWell, LIFTT’s ADA Accessible Rural Transportation Program (AI-assisted).
206 S. Douglas St. location will house LIFTT’s Independent Living Services, the upLIFTT Thrift Store, and the RideWell Transportation Program
Glendive, MT, February 20, 2026 — Living Independently for Today & Tomorrow (LIFTT), a Montana nonprofit Center for Independent Living serving 18 counties across South-Central and Eastern Montana, is proud to announce the purchase of the former KXGN broadcasting site, located at 206 South Douglas Street in Glendive, Montana.
This historic property, long recognized as a landmark in the Glendive community, will soon take on a new mission. It will become a place where independence is strengthened, barriers are removed, and opportunity is expanded for aging adults, individuals with disabilities, and families across Eastern Montana.
For LIFTT, this purchase represents a major milestone and a powerful step forward. For the community, it represents something even greater: a permanent home for essential services that support dignity, stability, and full participation in everyday life.
“This is one of the most exciting and meaningful achievements in LIFTT’s history,” said Carlos A. Ramalho, Executive Director of LIFTT. “This building will become a center of hope and practical support for the people of Eastern Montana. It will allow us to provide the quality independent living services our communities deserve, not temporarily, but permanently.”
A Permanent Home for Independent Living Services
LIFTT’s Independent Living Program helps individuals build the tools, confidence, and resources they need to live life on their own terms. Many people across Eastern Montana face challenges such as isolation, poverty, limited access to housing, disability-related barriers, and the absence of transportation options. In rural communities, even basic services can feel out of reach.
From this new permanent location in Glendive, LIFTT will continue to provide essential services including independent living skills training, peer support, information and referral, advocacy, and assistance navigating benefits and community resources.
“This is more than a building,” said Jen Hawkinson, Regional Manager for LIFTT in Glendive. “This is a permanent home for people who need support, encouragement, and real resources. It will allow us to serve our community with greater stability and greater capacity. We are excited for what this means for the future of Eastern Montana.”
upLIFTT Thrift Store: Community Support, Local Opportunity
The former KXGN building will also house the upLIFTT Thrift Store, a community-centered initiative designed to strengthen quality of life in Glendive and surrounding rural communities.
The upLIFTT Thrift Store will provide affordable access to clothing, household items, furniture, and essential goods. This will help individuals and families stretch limited budgets while supporting sustainability and community connection. Proceeds from the store will also help support LIFTT programs and services in Eastern Montana.
RideWell: Revolutionizing Rural Transportation in Eastern Montana
The building will also serve as the interim operational home for RideWell, LIFTT’s developing ADA Accessible Rural Transportation Program.
RideWell is being created to address one of the most urgent barriers facing Eastern Montana: transportation. In many rural communities, public transportation does not exist. Travel distances can exceed 250 miles round-trip for medical appointments. For individuals with disabilities, older adults, and low-income residents, these distances can lead to missed care, delayed treatment, unemployment, and isolation.
RideWell will help change that by providing safe, reliable, and ADA-compliant transportation across rural communities, supporting access to medical care, prescriptions, employment, education, and community engagement.
“RideWell is going to change lives,” said Tina Carter, Transportation Coordinator for LIFTT. “Accessible transportation is not a luxury. It is what allows people to stay healthy, keep appointments, maintain independence, and remain connected to their communities. This building gives us the space and stability we need to move RideWell forward and bring this program closer to full operation.”
RideWell will operate from this location until its permanent garage and vehicle shop can be built at 119 South Bell Street in Glendive, where LIFTT plans to develop a dedicated transportation facility.
A Future Built on Commitment and Community
The purchase of the Douglas Street facility reflects LIFTT’s long-term commitment to Glendive and to the communities of Eastern Montana. It will allow LIFTT to expand services, strengthen partnerships, and build a stable foundation for growth.
LIFTT believes rural communities deserve the same quality of services available in larger cities. This investment ensures that aging adults and individuals with disabilities will have access to services that respect their independence and protect their rights.
LIFTT looks forward to welcoming the public to this new facility and sharing updates as the building is prepared to open its doors as a hub of services, opportunity, and community progress. LIFTT plans to host an open house and community celebration in the coming months. Additional details will be announced soon.
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 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.