Blog

Yellowstone Foundation and YBGR staff traveled to Circle, Montana recently for the Ag Appreciation Dinner to honor the late Mel & Kay Johnson, thank current donors (especially Homes for Heifers donors) and share information on the Ranch and Foundation.  The Circle Booster Club prepared a fantastic meal that, of course, included roast beef and mashed potatoes and gravy.

The short program that followed dinner touched on the Homes for Heifers program, the mission of YBGR, and services the Foundation offers.  The highlight of the event, however, was the announcement that the Melvin & Kay Johnson Scholarship Fund, managed by Yellowstone Foundation, has awarded $409,590 in scholarships to 46 McCone County students over the past 8 years.

Jaqcee, pictured at left, is a 2016 Circle High School graduate and a Johnson Scholarship recipient.  Jaqcee shared the impact the Johnson Scholarship had on her education journey.  Jaqcee graduated from MSU Bozeman and is currently employed at CHS in Wolf Point.

Join us for an Evening of Enjoyment & Information

Thursday, October 13th, 2022, starting at 5pm
Hosted by Selene Thomas
3401 7th Avenue South, Great Falls, MT 
(Entrance: Side Gate off 34th St.)

You and a friend are invited for dinner and drinks in a beautiful outdoor setting.

Kristi Farver Oaks and Sara Hofer will be sharing the mission of Yellowstone Boys and Girls Ranch and the power of planned giving to impact future generations.

Please RSVP by Thursday, October 6th, by calling 406-656-8772 or email sara@yellowstonefoundation.org

The Summer YoungLife Camp was held on the YBGR campus in the last days of August just before the start of the new school year.  The 4-day camp is summer’s last blast with activities and entertainments that create youthful memories for years to come.

BBQ, movies, zipline, water games, Chapel service, special speakers, discussion groups, and so much more.  Fun and fellowship with a purpose. 

Many of the activities like our popular Rock Climbing Wall are team building exercises.  The camp helps youth break down barriers and build healthy relationships and behaviors.

The 2023 Yellowstone Calendars are here! 

Yellowstone donors will be receiving their copies in the mail in September.  Start enjoying it right away because our newest issue opens with a Sept-Dec 2022 spread.

Our popular full color photo calendar features YBGR kids at work and play.  Each month is accompanied by a motivational Bible verse for a year full of blessings! 

Plus, the 2023 calendar includes a special feature on Yellowstone Academy, our K-12 school on the YBGR campus. 

Request extra copies of the 2023 Yellowstone Calendar here.

Our best friend, Cooper, has officially passed his exams and become a Certified Therapy Dog through the Delta Society and Pet Partners!

Cooper joins senior therapy dog, Emmy Lou, on the Yellowstone Boys and Girls Ranch campus where pet therapy has been available for over 20 years.

These beautiful Golden Retrievers help decrease feelings of isolation and depression, provide comfort, lower anxiety, reduce stress, and stimulate feelings of joy and belonging for youth dealing with challenging mental health issues.

Thanks to the Cross Charitable Foundation for their gift to help make Pet Therapy possible at YBGR!

AFP Montana Chapter invites you to attend the ABC’s of Planned Giving
October 27th and 28th, at Billings Hotel and Convention Center.
Click below for more information and to register.

The American Council on Gift Annuities recently announced new increased rate guidelines.  Now senior donors can benefit from payout rates as high as 9.1%!

A Yellowstone Gift Annuity is a secure source of lifetime fixed income that’s backed by all of Yellowstone Foundation’s unrestricted assets, including our Annuity Reserve Account as required by law.

The first Yellowstone Gift Annuity was written back in 1972.  Since that time, Yellowstone Foundation has written hundreds of gift annuity contracts and paid out millions in annuity income to our donors.

A Yellowstone Gift Annuity provides a lifetime fixed income stream, generates an immediate federal income tax deduction, can bypass upfront capital gains tax when funded with appreciated assets, and qualifies for the Montana 40% Endowment Tax Credit.

Call us today and find out what a Yellowstone Charitable Gift Annuity can do for you!

Thanks to some staff ingenuity, large sheets of plastic, 5-gallon buckets, a fire hose and a perfectly sloped hill, the kids at YBGR have been beating the recent heat wave with wild rides down a giant Slip-N-Slide.

Youth from both the YA Day School Program and the YBGR Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facility get to ride the slide with an occasional staff slipping into the line. There is no better sound than children’s laughter ringing through the air as the YBGR youth, just for a little while, get to just be kids.

Thanks to a generous donor, a group of YBGR kids got to go out to the ball game!

Rewarded for good behavior and progress in their program, Yellowstone students got to attend a Billings Mustangs home game.

A memory-making trip to Dehler Park, a great game, and the requisite ballpark snacks – what a great summer experience!

One of the original Yellowstone Boys Ranch buildings, the Carl Orth Family Life Center provides lodging for families visiting their children in YBGR’s Residential Treatment Program.

In 2019, the Orth building underwent extensive interior and exterior updates, including a new roof, new paint, new flooring, new appliances and furniture.  Just as the Orth Center was ready to welcome families again, the 2020 pandemic hit and Orth’s six apartments stood empty due to the campus-wide lockdown.  Even when campus re-opened in July of 2021, family visits were slow to return.

However, the spring of 2022 has seen the Carl Orth Family Life Center at full capacity, providing free lodging to families visiting their children as well as a comfortable environment for family therapy.   The on-going maintenance and operation of the Orth Center is made possible by our generous donors.  Thank-you!