Moonlight Community Foundation

THE MOONLIGHT COMMUNITY FOUNDATION SUPPORTS INITIATIVES FOR YOUTH, EDUCATION, CONSERVATION AND UNDER-SERVED NEEDS BENEFITING THE BIG SKY COMMUNITY.

2022 WAS A BANNER YEAR FOR MOONLIGHT COMMUNITY FOUNDATION (MCF). CUMULATIVELY, $601,877 WAS AWARDED THROUGH THE GRANT AND SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM. IN ADDITION TO ANNUAL SPRING AND FALL GRANTS, MCF AWARDED $30,000 TO SUPPORT NEIGHBORING COMMUNITIES AFFECTED BY THE DEVASTATING FLOODING THIS PAST SPRING. BIG SKY COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION ALSO RECEIVED FUNDS TO ASSIST WITH THE BASE BUILDING DEFICIT. BIG SKY COMMUNITY FOOD BANK RECEIVED FUNDING FOR EMERGENCY FOOD AND SOCIAL SERVICES. THIS YEAR ALONE, THEY HAVE SEEN A 60% INCREASE IN SERVICES FROM 2021. THEIR CUSTOMER DEMOGRAPHICS HAVE ALSO SHIFTED SIGNIFICANTLY WITH HALF OF THEIR SERVICES NOW GOING TO WORKFORCE MEMBERS WHOSE FIRST LANGUAGE IS SPANISH. THEIR FREE WEEKEND MEALS KIDSPACK PROGRAM SERVES AN AVERAGE OF 47 CHILDREN IN THE BIG SKY SCHOOL DISTRICT.THE LACK OF HOUSING AND OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN GENERAL IS A HUGE CHALLENGE IN BIG SKY WITH THE RIPPLE EFFECTS FELT THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY. MCF RECENTLY AWARDED BIG SKY COMMUNITY HOUSING TRUST FUNDING FOR THEIR RENT LOCAL INCENTIVE PROGRAM, WHICH AIMS TO CREATE MORE RENTAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR LOCAL WORKERS TO RESIDE IN BIG SKY. SINCE AUGUST OF 2021, OVER 175 LOCALS HAVE FOUND HOUSING ACROSS 72 UNITS IN IN THE COMMUNITY WHERE THEY WORK THROUGH THE RENT LOCAL PROGRAM. BSCHT ANTICIPATES THE PROGRAM WILL SERVE APPROXIMATELY 200 LOCALS IN 2023.RIMROCK FOUNDATION, BASED OUT OF BILLINGS, MT, IS THE LARGEST DRUG AND ALCOHOL ADDICTION TREATMENT CENTER IN THE REGION, SERVING ADULTS WITH SUBSTANCE USE AND CO-OCCURRING DISORDERS. THEY HAVE A PROVEN TRACK RECORD WITH THEIR PEER SUPPORT SPECIALIST PROGRAM WHERE THEY EMPLOY PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN THE RECOVERY PROCESS WHO HELP OTHERS EXPERIENCING SIMILAR SITUATIONS TO ASSIST PEOPLE IN ACHIEVING AND SUSTAINING A LIFE IN RECOVERY. MCF IS PROUD TO HAVE GRANTED THEM FUNDS THIS PAST FALL TO BRING A SUPPORT SPECIALIST TO BIG SKY. THIS POSITION ENGAGES IN A WIDE RANGE OF ACTIVITIES, SUCH AS ADVOCATING FOR PEOPLE IN RECOVERY, SHARING RESOURCES AND BUILDING SKILLS, BUILDING COMMUNITY AND RELATIONSHIPS, LEADING RECOVERY GROUPS, MENTORING AND SETTING GOALS.THESE ARE JUST A FEW OF THE EXAMPLES OF PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS MCF GRANTS SUPPORT.IN ADDITION TO SUPPORTING CORE INITIATIVES THROUGH GRANTS, MCF ALSO CONTINUED TO BE ACTIVE ASSISTING LOCAL FAMILIES BY PROVIDING $10,150 IN SCHOLARSHIPS FOR LOCAL KIDS TO ATTEND CAMP MOONLIGHT.