Billings West Rotary awards $15,000 in grants

Posted on Mar 27, 2014

The Billings West Rotary has donated $5,000 each to The Angel Fund, Friendship House of Christian Service and the Boys and Girls Club of Billings.

Billings West Rotary has a long history of supporting youth activities in Billings, specifically targeted to families of low to moderate incomes.

The Angel Fund provides students-in-need with the tools and basic necessities to help them remain in school and be successful. Last year the fund paid for 15 GED test fees at the Adult Education Center; $3,500 of lab and class fees at Senior High; $3,500 to the food pantries at the high schools; plus, bus passes and school fees for 190 homeless high school and middle school students.

The Friendship House, a faith-based community center, plans to use the donation to support the bus service for their after-school program that serves 100 kids. The Friendship House has been fighting the cause and symptoms of generational poverty in south Billings for over 50 years.

Nick Enslow, director of the Heights unit of the Boys and Girls Club of Billings, said the organization will use its funds to replace existing flooring in the main room as well as purchase supplies for the gardening program that encourages healthy lifestyles.

Billings West Rotary was chartered in 1987 and has 85 members.