Pay It Forward Stories 2021

I gave my Pay it Forward card to the Youth Homes for their Run 4 Kids fundraiser associated with the Missoula Marathon. Every year the team raises funds to ensure kids in care with Youth Homes have the help, care and support they need to heal and become healthy. For the second year in a row, the Missoula Marathon has gone virtual and the number of participants in the Run 4 Kids has dropped, but the needs of the kids remains the same.

Because of the Youth Homes organization, over 12,000 at-risk children in Western Montana have be given the opportunity to experience childhood in a safe and secure place to call home since 1971. Each day they serve over 300 children and families through their emergency shelters, therapeutic group homes, foster care and adoption programs and counseling services. Over 90% of these kids improve their grades and stay in school and nearly 95% graduate or get their GED. Most importantly, the Youth Homes provides kids the chance to be a kid and work on building healthy relationships that will be their base for moving forward as a healthier and happier adult.

Thank you to the Dennis & Phyllis Washington Foundation for the opportunity to help this organization.

I'm an employee of MRL now for 33 years and want to thank the foundation again for providing this great opportunity to help others. I live in Carbon County and I'm helping a struggling family in my area. One of their younger daughter has to seek medical treatments a few times a year in Denver and this money will go along way for travel expenses ect. When I reached out to them, they were extremely thankful. I ended up getting another prepaid visa card they could use since their travel plans for the next doctor visit wasn't until after May 31st when these funds needed to be spent. I'm giving them the 500 dollar card tonight after work, and can't wait to see the joy. Thank you again for the Pay It Forward program. It's helped so many. Jill

Special education teachers at Yellowstone Academy used it for teacher and student resources, books and STEM projects/activities.

May 14th, 2021

Dear D & P Washington Foundation,
Thank you for the gift to purchase resources for my classroom. Providing our students with alternative resources and fun engaging lessons has always been a priority within my classroom. My class enjoys learning when I can provide supplemental materials that makes learning become hands on learning and real life related.

Having the opportunity to provide STEM related curriculum is so beneficial to our students. It provides so many important skills along with team building and social situations. It allows for students to collaborate, brainstorm, create and build. It is a nice alternative to textbook style learning.

Thank you,
Denise Puglisi
Special Education Teacher
Yellowstone Academy

May 14th, 2021

Dear D & P Washington Foundation,

Thank you so much for the gift of being able to purchase many needed classroom resources for our K-3rd special education classroom. We were able to buy hands-on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) activities that our students enjoy and enhance their critical thinking skills.
We were also able to find some lower level readers to help our struggling students work on their reading skills and help them boost their confidence. Many reading resources and supplemental materials were purchased to help support and challenge many students.
Thank you again for the gift. The STEM projects, reading resources, other teacher resources, books and math games will be used to support many students in their learning adventures. Thank you for this opportunity, we appreciate it and will put it to good use.

Sincerely,
Nicole Kostelecky
Special Education Teacher K-3rd
Yellowstone Academy

I gave my Card to one of our crew members that was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer and is going through chemotherapy and radiation treatments. I wanted to give him the card to help offset some of the medical costs associated with that.

I chose to give my card to the AniMeals Critical Care Program, which helps pay for medical expenses for homeless animals in need of urgent medical care. I have been fortunate enough to have been chosen to participate in the Pay It Forward program for three years now and have given my card each time to the AniMeals program. It is a wonderful organization that helps animals in need.

We were blessed with the opportunity to receive a "Pay It Forward" card. This year there was a family that needed some home items. We were able to get them some much needed furnishing for their home, as well as food, cleaning supplies and other necessities.

With the remainder of the card we went shopping for the Friendship Center, a center for abused women and their children. The center had a list of items needed. This list included items to help keep their facility running as well as items to give to the women, once that they are able to move on from the emergency shelter into their own homes.

I bought household and baby items for a single mother. Her house recently burned down, and she was left with nothing, and is expecting a baby in May 2021

We donated $50 to Stillwater County 4H, as my kids are enrolled in the Johnny's Buckaroos. They learn about work ethic and community service. We donated $50 to Kruzin 4 Seniors, a local non profit that provides services to elderly people living in Stillwater County, and $400 to Kids Club Child Care Center. Both of our kids attended preschool there.
All donations were done through Montana Gives, so that the money was matched by local donors! Thank you for making this possible.

I donated my card to the Richmond, VA chapter of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.

While the whole world is going crazy and everyone is so self absorbed with what they want and can't have, we would like to help those who cannot readily help themselves. Those who have every right to be upset with what we have done to the world and lash out at us even though they never would. For that reason and many others we have chosen to pay it forward to the Center for Whale Research on San Juan Island, founded by Kenneth Balcomb in 1987.
We became interested in and have always paid attention to our southern resident killer whales (Orcas), during our many visits to the San Juan Islands to camp in our 1st 10 years here. They woke us up one night as we camped on the shore of Small Pox Bay on San Juan Island. We hiked up to the bluff above the waters and sat on the edge under the trees with our dogs and just listened as they frolicked and chattered enjoying the quiet empty waters that night brings.
Unfortunately we did not know at the time but this would be one of our last visits there, what was to be a annual event was suddenly disrupted by life’s unplanned events. Later when we tried to resume, so much growth to our area had made traveling there even during the off season of October when we liked to go off limits.
Later during my wife’s schooling she chose to write a report about them and we went again this time to the Whale Museum in Friday Harbor (which was also founded by Kenneth Balcomb in 1979) to gather data for it. They are truly amazing creatures, sometimes more humanlike then many two legged mammals.
If anyone has not yet had the opportunity to visit their website and/or free informational center (check for availability due to Covid) at https://www.whaleresearch.com/orcasurveycenter, now is the time as these magnificent beings are endangered as of 2005. This organization is fighting hard to safeguard their future and dedicated to tracking their lives so that important resources are preserved to prevent their extinction.

The money was used to purchase materials to expand and enhance the skate rental room at the High Altitude Skating oval. It was much needed due the increase number of skates we are renting to the general public.

Money from the card was used to buy materials to expand and enhance the skate rental room at the High Altitude Skating Oval. It was much needed with additional skates we have now to rent to the general public.

I recently heard about a single mom, Jen, who was involved in a motorcycle accident. She had some bad injuries and did not qualify for workman’s comp. Being a very proud person and Mom, she didn’t want to ask for any help but deep down she needed some. I gave her my gift card so she could use it for any expenses she deemed fit. I wish Jen the best of luck and a speedy recovery. I would also like to thank the Dennis and Phyllis Washington Foundation for allowing me to help this family.

In 2016 my favorite son died as a result of suicide so I wanted to try and help this terribly awful experience from happening to other families. I forwarded the card to the Mt. Chapter of the American Federation of Suicide Prevention.

I gave the card to a lady who has significant health issues and can not work. Through the pandemic she made over 2,000 masks and donated them throughout the community of Missoula. She did not want to sell them but give them away knowing people needed them. She is a very giving person and never expects anything in return. I was hoping by giving her the card she would be able to take care of some of the personal needs such as medical expenses.

Brandon England ( Mrl engineer) his younger brother passed away suddenly 2 weeks ago! I donated my entire pay it forward card to the fundraiser for his family! To help lessen the burden of the costs associated with his funeral!
We appreciate the opportunity to do this as often as we can!

When I'm not doing railroad work, I love sending pucks "Where Mama Keeps the Peanut Butter" (i.e. Top Shelf). I've enjoyed playing hockey at Glacier Ice Rink since 2007, and now my three boys are starting youth hockey. Glacier Ice Rink is ran by a non-profit called the Missoula Area Youth Hockey Association. My 'Pay it Forward' donation will be used to help replace the TV monitors in the lobby.

Gave the card to a military vet on his own struggling after he moved. He was not working and needed things to survive winters in Montana.

Thank you for this amazing opportunity to give back to the community. This year I donated to Big Brothers Big Sisters program to help out our local kids and office. When I presented them the card they were overjoyed. You could tell this meant a lot to them. Whether its to buy supplies or food for the littles it all helps out. I just want to say thank you again for letting us donate to a cause that is important to us and our community.
Thank you !!

I choose to donate my chosen giving card to The Ramsey Keller Memorial Foundation of Billings, MT. Their story from their website explains it perfectly; "The Ramsey Keller Memorial was started when our precious daughter moved to heaven too soon. We became a nonprofit to help other families affected by the loss of a child. Our organization contracts with funeral homes throughout Montana to help pay for the expenses of children’s funerals. We know firsthand how devastating it is to pay for your child’s funeral and we hope to take that burden off of heartbroken families. Donations go directly to families that have lost a child 1 year of age or younger to help with funeral costs".

My family also knows firsthand devastating and overwhelming it is to prepare for a funeral instead of bringing our precious babies home. We were lucky enough to have had the RKM foundation pay for all of our expenses we incurred at the funeral home for our stillborn twins in 2018. They took out the financial burden during the most devastating time of our lives. This allowed us to focus on our family, memories, and to grieve the babies we lost. I am so grateful to have been able to give this giving card to RKM to help support them in their journey of continuing to pay for these funeral expenses for families in Montana who are grieving the unimaginable.

If you're ever in the Billings area around May, every year they hold an annual 5k, 10k, half marathon run to raise money to pay for these infant funerals. Sunday, May 16, 2021 is their 10th Annual RUN for Heaven’s Sake.

Thank you to the Washington Foundation for allowing our family to present the Ramsey Keller Memorial with a $500.00 giving card to allow us to pay it forward to a foundation we will forever be grateful for.

I presented the gift card to Dave Williamson, Chairman of the Southwest Montana Veterans Home Foundation. The monies will be spent on assisting veteran residents at the veterans home. There was several items that the monies could be used for to help assist the veterans from buying medical supplies, Covid prevention supplies, assisting in food services, and also going to help fund the project to enclose the walkways between the buildings at the facility. I am waiting to get an official use of the monies and a thank you card from the foundation. I will pass the information onto the Washington Foundation when it is received.

I was able to provide gift cards to a local family for use at local vendors as they deemed necessary! It's wonderful to be able to provide just a little something to folks out in the community for use in supporting local families and economies!

This year I decided to split the card between two entities, Whitehall PTSA and Jefferson Valley Community Foundation.

The Whitehall PTSA was doing a cold gear drive along with socks, under garments and pants. Often when a child has an accident at school the school provides a fresh pair of clothes however they do not often get them back. Kids are always in need of hats and gloves as well.

The Jefferson Valley Community Foundation support lots of organizations by raising money at their annual event. This provides funds for the Library summer reading program, museum, Whitehall Veterans and more.

I chose to donate my Pay it Forward card to Safe Haven Llama & Alpaca Sanctuary in Corvallis, MT. The sanctuary takes in abused, neglected, handicapped, unwanted and abandoned llamas & alpacas and provides humane/compassionate care of these beautiful animals. The donation will help with food, medical treatment, rehabilitation and wellness care for over 30 animals currently at the sanctuary. The sanctuary seeks suitable and permanent safe homes for those that are adoptable and serves as a permanent home for those that are not. All proceeds donated are spent for the care of the animals.

Thank you to the Dennis & Phyllis Washington Foundation for allowing me to be a part of the Pay it Forward 2021. The welfare and rescue of all animals big and small is very near and dear to my heart, I appreciate you giving me the opportunity to help them even more!

I gave mine to the butte high chemical free graduation party. They were short on donations to fund it so I thought this would help.