Mountain Sky Guest Ranch Fund Awards $190,000 in Grants to Improve Quality of Life in Park and Gallatin Counties

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Jun 03, 2013, 11:41 ET

EMIGRANT, Mont., June 3, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Mountain Sky Guest Ranch Fund has awarded $190,000 in grants to 23 community projects serving youth and families in Park and Gallatin counties.

The grants include a $45,000 award to the Greater Gallatin United Way to support the kidsLINK after-school program, and $20,000 to the Livingston Food Pantry of Park County to construct a local food system center and community kitchen.

"The Mountain Sky Guest Ranch Fund promotes positive change in individual lives and communities," said Tawnya Rupe, director of the Mountain Sky Guest Ranch Fund. "Through the volunteer work of our associates and our grants to community organizations, the ranch is committed to improving the quality of life in Park and Gallatin counties."

To strengthen early education programs that foster lifelong learning, the Ranch Fund has awarded a $6,000 grant to the Park County Pathway Early Childhood Coalition to expand the Parents as Teachers home-visitation program. An $8,000 grant to the Early Childhood Community Council Greater Gallatin Area will help fund a coordinator staff position.

Mountain Sky Guest Ranch associates will present the awards on Tuesday, June 4, when the Ranch hosts an event to honor the 2013 grant partners.

Mountain Sky Guest Ranch Fund
2013 Grant Awards

Belgrade Bandits Baseball	$5,000 for maintenance and repairs of the Bandits' baseball field.
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Gallatin County	$3,000 for the Outdoor Explores program.
Bozeman Deaconess Foundation	$4,000 for the Eat, Live, Play program.
Bozeman Schools Foundation	$2,000 for the Spark grant program.
Bridger Ski Foundation	$4,000 to deepen the engagement of donors and participants.
Gallatin County Casa-Gal Program	$5,000 challenge grant for volunteer training.
Gallatin Valley YMCA	$3,000 for the Bold/Gold outdoor leadership program.
Gardiner Snoopy Coop Preschool	$1,500 for the summer enrichment program.
Greater Gallatin United Way	$45,000 for the kidsLINK afterschool program.
Greater Gallatin United Way	$8,000 for the Early Childhood Community Council coordinator.
Little People Learning Center	$5,000 for the Natural Explorer outdoor classroom.
Livingston Education Foundation	$2,000 for teacher enrichment grant program.
Livingston Food Pantry of Park County	$20,000 for construction of a local food system center and community kitchen.
Livingston Park County Tennis Association	$5,000 challenge grant for renovation of tennis courts in Sacajawea Park.
Montana FFA Foundation	$5,000 for scholarships for the Washington Leadership Conference and to increase evaluation of programs.
Montessori Island School	$4,000 for playground equipment.
Park County Community Foundation	$30,000 for operating support.
Park County Community Foundation	$10,000 challenge grant to construct a barn and fence for the Livingston Farm to School animal husbandry class.
Park County Community Foundation	$6,000 for the Park County Pathway Early Childhood Coalition to expand the Parents as Teachers home-visitation program.
Shift Youth Empowerment	$8,000 for the youth empowerment partnership with Montana Roots.
THRIVE	$3,000 for the Belgrade Girls on the Run program.
Western Sustainability Exchange	$4,000 for the Young Entrepreneur Stewardship program.
Yellowstone Park Foundation	$7,500 for the Expedition: Yellowstone! program.

About the Mountain Sky Guest Ranch Fund
The Mountain Sky Guest Ranch Fund is an affiliated fund of The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation. The Mountain Sky Guest Ranch Fund has contributed more than $2.6 million to local nonprofits since Arthur M. Blank, co-founder of The Home Depot and owner of the Atlanta Falcons, acquired the ranch in 2001.

About Mountain Sky Guest Ranch
For more than 80 years, Mountain Sky has offered its guests Montana's majestic natural setting and the opportunity to connect with the land – and each other. Mountain Sky consistently tops the list of the nation's upscale guest ranch resorts, providing rustically-elegant lodging, fine food, unlimited riding and hiking opportunities, an imaginative kids program and superior service.

SOURCE Mountain Sky Guest Ranch