MANNA Food Bank

News Release

Embargoed for Release on Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Contact: Mike Schechtman, Executive Director, (406)443-5860

Montana Nonprofit Connections website:

A collaboration of diverse family foundations continued its unique statewide philanthropic efforts in Montana by making the second round of Assessment Awards to seven Montana nonprofit organizations through the auspices of the Montana Nonprofit Connections (MNC) Program. MNC is administered by Big Sky Institute for the Advancement of Nonprofits (BSI) as one of several collaborative ventures BSI has initiated with foundations to help increase philanthropic and nonprofit sector resources in Montana.

Organizations receiving Assessment Awards include: Child Care Resources, Inc. (Missoula), Domestic and Sexual Violence Services of Carbon County (Red Lodge), Family Promise of Gallatin Valley, Inc. (Bozeman), Great Falls Community Food Bank (Great Falls), homeWORD (Missoula), Montana Audubon (Helena), and Wakina MultiCultural Education Center (Helena). (See pp. 3-6 for organizational descriptions and contact information.)

MNC’s purpose is to strengthen the capacity and capabilities of Montana-based nonprofit organizations so they will become more effective and efficient in managing their internal operations, and better serve their clients, supporters, and communities.

The MNC Assessment Awards provide the recipient organizations with access to one of five highly experienced and skilled Montana-based consultants selected and managed by BSI. A consultant will work with the board and staff of each of these organizations to conduct an assessment process to determine organizational capacities, needs and priorities for improvement.

“We are pleased to be able to continue to offer Assessment Awards through our work with MNC’s Funder Collaborative, and to help build the capacities of the nonprofit groups across the state,” said Mike

Schechtman, BSI’s executive director. “MNC helps nonprofit organizations, many of which are struggling to meet increased community needs, to address this significant challenge by helping them sharpen their

organizational development focus, build their skills and increase their efficiency and effectiveness.” Schechtman added that, “This year, two new foundations began participating in MNC. One foundation supported an Assessment Award to a nonprofit in its geographic focus area, and the other provided underwriting for an Assessment Award as a pilot in BSI’s new multi-year Montana Early Care Initiative.”

MNC’s core collaboration foundations include:

O.P. and W.E. Edwards Foundation
Lora L. and Martin N. Kelley Family Foundation Trust
Oro y Plata Foundation, and
Solid Rock Foundation

Other grantors that have supported MNC include:

Gilhousen Family Foundation
Luise Hass Fund
W.K. Kellogg Foundation
Mountain Sky Guest Ranch Fund
NeighborWorks Montana
Steele-Reese Foundation, and
Dennis and Phyllis Washington Foundation

To learn about the MNC organizational effectiveness grants program, visit BSI’s website at

For foundations and other funders that want to learn more about MNC and how they might participate, contact: Mike Schechtman, executive director, Big Sky Institute for the Advancement of Nonprofits, P.O. Box 1514, Helena, MT 59624, 406-443-5860 or .

Founded in 1999 and headquartered in Helena, MT, the Big Sky Institute for the Advancement of Nonprofits strengthens the nonprofit and philanthropic sectors in Montana and other Philanthropic Divide states nearby. BSI undertakes large scale initiatives that develop new resources and infrastructure to help a state's nonprofit sector strengthen and assist individual nonprofits. In addition to a three-year initiative that successfully incubated and developed the Montana Nonprofit Association, BSI is helping to develop expanded philanthropic resources for Montana’s nonprofit community. In 2008, BSI published its Guide to Supporting Montana Local and County Community Foundations and disseminated it to financial advisors throughout the state.

Organizations receiving 2010 Assessment Awards include:

Child Care Resources, Inc. (Missoula), founded in l969, was the first Child Care Resource and Referral Agency in Montana, and the first to sponsor the USDA Child and Adult Care Food Program. Forty years later, CCR remains a leader in early childhood care and education services in Montana and in some areas, nationally. The organization serves both families with young children, with a particular focus on services to those with low income, and early care and education providers. Current programs include: child care referrals, scholarships for families earning less that 150% of the Federal Poverty Level or those receiving Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, training for early childhood professionals, a child and adult care food program, child care health consultations (in collaboration with the Missoula City/County Health Department), and accreditation mentoring that helps area child care programs achieve national accreditation with much higher standards than Montana state licensing. Contact: Kelly Rosenleaf, Exec. Director, 406-728-6446,

Domestic and Sexual Violence Services of Carbon County (Red Lodge)- Since l999, DSVS has worked to eliminate domestic, sexual and teen dating violence through awareness and prevention activities, as well as coordinated support and services for women, men, children, families and communities impacted by this violence. DSVS offers clients a free, confidential, 24- hour Helpline; hospital, police, and court accompaniment; transport, emergency short-term shelter, food, clothing and other support; assistance in applying for orders of protection and for crime victim compensation; and support groups, one-on-one support, and education. DSVS also provides a broad range of training, outreach, education and primary prevention activities throughout Carbon County and neighboring counties, including school-based education focusing on healthy relationships, an annual Teen Dating Violence Prevention Summit, Violence Prevention Clubs, medical assessment training, and a Coordinated Community Response Team. Contact: Allison Smith-Estelle, PhD, Exec. Director, 406-446-2296,

Family Promise of Gallatin Valley, Inc. (Bozeman) – Since 2006, FPGV has provided shelter for homeless families with children in the Gallatin Valley, while assisting them to find and implement lasting solutions to their unique situations. Family Promise is part of a 20 year old national network that has an established 80% success rate of helping homeless families secure permanent housing. It operates on a model known as an interfaith hospitality network and provides nightly shelter, home-cooked meals,

limited transportation and professional case management. Ten host churches open their facilities to provide shelter, meals and hospitality on a rotating basis. Family Promise also offers a professionally staffed Family Day Center five days per week. In addition, a full-time Family Case Manager helps each family to develop and implement a Family Permanency Plan, with the goal of finding safe, affordable housing within 90 days. Contact: Gloria Edwards, Exec. Director, 406-582-7388, )

Great Falls Community Food Bank (Great Falls) – For the past 27 years, GFCFB has gathered and distributed food for needy children, individuals and families through a network of 50 charitable organizations in Cascade, Chouteau, Glacier and Teton Counties. In 2002, it became Montana’s Redistribution Organization for the Montana Food Bank Network and Feeding America, which opened doors for new food resources. GFCFB receives its food from its grocery recovery program, food drives, Montana Food Bank Network, general donations, and additional food purchase with contributions from individuals and foundation grants. It has experienced substantial growth over the years with demand increasing 38% since 2007. Last year, the GFCFB distributed 826,000 pounds of food. The organization owns a 13,000 square foot warehouse, and in 2010 will launch a $700,000 capital campaign for a renovation project to increase space, efficiency and safety. Contact: Gayle Gifford, Exec. Director, 406-452-9029,

homeWORD (Missoula) – Begun in l994 as a project of Women’s Opportunity and Resource Development in response to the community need for affordable housing and meaningful economic change in lower income families’ lives, homeWORD became an independent organization in l998. It is a Community Housing Development Organization, and, as of 2009, homeWORD has completed 10 projects providing 163 affordable units in Missoula and Billings. It serves low and moderate income households and a diverse population including singles, elderly, individuals with disabilities, domestic violence survivors, families with children, veterans and formerly homeless people. homeWORD develops sustainably built affordable rental housing, provides homebuyer education and counseling and teaches financial literacy as a way to increase social justice through self empowerment and self worth. It has expanded services over the years to incorporate a more holistic approach by offering financial fitness education, housing counseling and foreclosure prevention counseling in addition to homebuyer education. In addition, homeWORD has responded to the requests of rural communities across Montana to help

develop affordable housing, both rental and homeownership, via joint ventures that result from homeWORD simply providing development consultant services to those which result in long term ownership. This will increase the capacity of rural communities to both develop and manage their affordable housing assets into the future. Contact: Andrea Davis, Exec. Director, 406-532-4663 ext. 18,

Montana Audubon (Helena) Montana Audubon is a statewide organization that promotes appreciation, knowledge and conservation of native birds, other wildlife and their habitats. Since l976, it has built effective programs in public policy, education and scientific research. Montana Audubon is comprised of nine, community-based Audubon Chapters, and is headquartered in Helena. With 4,000 members, it is one of the largest conservation organizations in the state. Montana Audubon has identified 39 Important Bird Areas across the state, which encompass 10 million acres and span 28 counties. In addition, Montana Audubon operates the Audubon Conservation Education Center in Billings. This Center helps children connect with nature and improves student academic achievement, restores and protects wildlife habitat and provides important open space and public outdoor recreational opportunities within the rapidly expanding suburbs of Billings. The organization’s Leave No Child Inside initiative conducts after-school and summer nature camps, and is affiliated with the city of Billings, Girl Scouts of America, and the Friendship House. The program offers unique opportunities for the city’s most at-risk youth to participate in outdoor after-school programs. Contact: Steve Hoffman, Exec. Director, 406-443-3949,

Wakina MultiCultural Education Center (Helena) was established in l998 to bridge a critical gap for Indian children in the urban community by aiming for diverse cultural competency, along with academic excellence and achievement. By providing quality education, cultural awareness, and opportunities to learn outside the traditional school setting, Wakina assists Indian children and their families to learn to thrive in many cultural worlds. Utilizing an educational process that includes cultural literacy, it encourages all members of the community to take an active role in the education and cultural upbringing of local youth, at home and in school. Wakina assists the local school district through the Indian Education Advisory Committee, with implementation of MCA 20-1-501 (Indian Education for All). Wakina's afterschool academic programs are geared toward each student’s needs. The cultural programs include language, customs, songs and stories from a wide variety of tribal traditions. The curriculum includes frequent visits by Native speakers and artists, weekly visits to the Holter Museum of Art for arts education, and bi-weekly visits to ExplorationWorks for experiential learning opportunities. Contact: Marilyn Richardson, Board President, 406-449-0318,

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MNC, Big Sky Institute for the Advancement of Nonprofits, PO Box 1514, Helena, MT 59624, 406-443-5860