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As Summer begins, LIFTT Executive Director Carlos Ramalho reviews the first half of 2026 at LIFTT and looks ahead to some of the opportunities for "community engagement, expanded services, and future program development" that the second half of the year brings to the organization.
"One of the Most Exciting Periods in LIFTT's History!"
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Get your Tickets for "Hidden Treasures Grand Journeys" Today!
Tickets and Table Sponsorships are going fast for “Hidden Treasures, Grand Journeys,” a dinner, silent and live auction fundraiser on Saturday, August 1, beginning at 5:30 p.m. at the Columbia Club, 2216 Grand Avenue in Billings.
All proceeds from the event will go towards RideWell, LIFTT's Rural ADA Accessible Transportation Service
A Fun Evening for a Good Cause!
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From Homelessness to Celebrity
Found and adopted by a Glendive LIFTT Team Member, "Sluggy" has gone from dumpster diver to pinup boy in less than a year, as he has been selected as Mr. February in a calendar for a national pet adoption group.
"A story of resilience, love, and unexpected success"
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Communication is Independence
At LIFTT, we believe that communication is independence.
Being able to communicate effectively opens doors to employment, healthcare, education, friendships, community involvement, and self-advocacy. When communication barriers are reduced, opportunities expand, and people gain greater control over their own lives.
LIFTT IL specialists work with people with all types of disabilities, including the Deaf, Hard of Hearing, and those experiencing hearing loss, to remove communication barriers.
Access leads to participation. Participation leads to belonging
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Words Matter Because People Matter
The LIFTT Board of Directors recently approved revised versions of the organization's mission and vision statements.
The revisions were adopted to incorporate person-first language by replacing the phrase "disabled individuals" with "people with disabilities." The Board determined that this language more accurately reflects LIFTT's commitment to dignity, respect, inclusion, and person-centered services.
More Info
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Buliding Stronger Communities through Education & Wellness
LIFTT Team Member Erin Culp has recently been certified to teach the Staying Active & Independent for Life (SAIL) curriculum
SAIL is an evidence-based strength, balance, and fitness program designed to help older adults improve mobility, reduce the risk of falls, increase confidence, and maintain independence.
Charting a course for increased engagement and better health
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What does independence look like?
For some people, independence means driving to work every morning. For others, it means raising a family, volunteering in the community, attending church, visiting friends, or simply enjoying the comfort of home.
But what happens when age, illness, injury, or disability makes everyday tasks more difficult?
For many individuals, the answer is not moving away from home. The answer is finding the right support to remain there.
That is where LIFTT's Self-Directed Personal Care Assistance Services Program, often called the SDPAS or PCA Program, makes a remarkable difference.
Every day throughout our service area, aging individuals and people with disabilities use the program to maintain their independence while continuing to live in their own homes and communities.
Learn More
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Moments of Independence: Small Steps, Real People, Lasting Impact
At LIFTT, we believe every achievement matters.
Behind every service is a person. Behind every goal is a story. And behind every story is the determination, resilience, and strength that make independence possible.
The following stories highlight a few of the individuals whose journeys remind us why Independent Living matters.
Three Stories of Independence
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Why Disability Rights Advocacy Matters Now More Than Ever
There are moments in history when progress feels inevitable.
And then there are moments when we are reminded that progress requires vigilance.
Across the United States, disability rights advocates, independent living organizations, self-advocates, family members, attorneys, policymakers, and community leaders continue working to preserve and strengthen protections that many Americans now take for granted.
Get Involved in Advocacy!
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Honoring Service, Supporting Independence
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
Veterans, LIFTT is here for you
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Always Learning, Always Growing
At LIFTT, serving our consumers well means more than showing up. It means continuing to learn, train, improve, and grow so that aging individuals and people with disabilities receive services that are safe, informed, meaningful, and empowering.
One recent example of this commitment comes from Eileen Rodriguez, one of LIFTT's Independent Living Specialists and Nutritional Health Coaches
Eileen recently completed training to become a Certified Tai Chi for Diabetes Instructor through the Tai Chi for Health Institute.
Finding New Ways to Support Independence
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Living Independently for Today & Tomorrow (LIFTT)
1241 Crawford Drive, Billings, MT 59102 · (406) 259-5181
206 S. Douglas Street, Glendive, MT 59330 · (406) 948-8500
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 indisvduals and 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.
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.
LIFTT is partly funded through contracts and grants from the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services, USAging, National Aging and Disability Transportation Center, and the Administration for Community Living, United States Department of Health and Human Services. The statements herein do not necessarily reflect the opinion of DPHHS, USAging, NADTC, ACL, or HHS.
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