March 2022 Newsletter: Director’s Corner

Editor’s note: A version of this article can be found in the March 2022 “LIFTT Connection” newsletter by clicking here

We are happy to inform you that, since early February 2022, our Billings and Glendive offices have been open to the public. Once again, we welcome visitors for in-person meetings, community activities, group events, and resuming our participation in outreach events. Please feel free to stop by. 

We hope to see you soon. However, LIFTT will continue to accommodate the needs of those who expect to receive services electronically and communicate via telephone and email. We are equipped and prepared to move forward as a hybrid organization. 

You need to know that we are living in what is being called a transitional period. During 2022, as a society, we are moving from a pandemic [the global or national outbreak of a disease] to an endemic [when an infection is restricted to a certain location]. For this reason, LIFTT will continue to encourage our team members, consumers, and community to protect themselves against COVID-19 infection. The best way to accomplish that is by being vaccinated. Please remember that LIFTT is available to help you order COVID-19 test kits, get vaccinated, and be safe. We highly recommend you have COVID-19 tests kits available at home and are happy to help you order them for you and your family. 

We believe that thanks to the efforts of the Public Health Authorities, the US will soon be a COVID-19 free country. Until then, LIFTT’s team members will continue to adapt to the virus and pass this knowledge onto you and the community of our service area. 

Please allow us to remind you that if you had COVID-19, you qualify as a person who has a disability and are entitled to many services and benefits. 

We invite you to partner with LIFTT and help us shape the post-COVID-19 Montana and use the lessons we learned from the pandemic to improve our independent living community and services. We are proud to be open for business again along with businesses, banks, industries, the school system, hotels, airports, sports facilities, and churches. 

Come to LIFTT! Let us work together to strengthen the independent living community. 

Cheers! Carlos Ramalho, Executive Director