Don Bennett is always excited to talk about the Columbia Falls Kids Foundation, which supports four youth-focused nonprofits under one roof.  

Sitting in his office at Freedom Bank in Columbia Falls on a crisp November morning, Bennett talks about how he’s seen the small town change over the years. He said it used to primarily be a blue-collar town with a lot of “core family values,” but now its transitioning to a more tourism-based economy.

 “There’s change taking place, and you really can’t have change without loss. What I want to try and help do is maintain the blue-collar core values in Columbia Falls,” Bennett said.  

The Columbia Falls Kids Foundation was formed in 2024 and provides support for the Boys and Girls Club of Glacier Country, Land to Hand Montana, Gateway to Early Learning and Ruis Wrestling Academy.  

The Foundation Building, formerly the old Glacier Gateway Elementary School, is now home to all four nonprofits. For the Boys and Girls Club of Glacier Country, this has dramatically increased the number of children accepted into its after-school program.  

Previously located in a former church building across the street, the capacity for the Boys and Girls Club was at about 65 children, but since moving into the new home that has nearly tripled to 180, according to Boys and Girls Club of Glacier Country CEO Steven Crews. 

With the high cost of child care, Crews said keeping rates affordable is a key priority over the next few years.  

“We don’t turn away any families with financial hardships. So even if they can’t pay our membership cost, which is based on a sliding scale, we still work with the families,” he told the Inter Lake in November.  

Bennett said Land to Hand has also been able to expand since moving into the building and has been working on improving the commercial kitchen included in the space.  

“With the commercial kitchen, the Boys and Girls Club can prepare warm meals or snacks for the kids that are in attendance, Land to Hand can utilize it to help them with their school breakfast and lunch programs that they’re a part of,” Bennett said.  

He said the bigger space also allows the Land to Hand to be more efficient with volunteers and preparing the backpack program, which distributes food packs to students who rely on free or reduced lunches in the Columbia Falls School District.  

The Fresh Snack Friday program provides a local fresh produce snack like an apple from Moss Farm or a carrot from North Shore Farm, to more than 1,000 students in the Columbia Falls schools, according to Land to Hand’s website.  

In addition to the food donation programs, Land to Hand oversees the Wildcat Garden Club at Columbia Falls Middle School. The organization also offers educational resources and food subsidy programs that help remove barriers for people to get locally grown, farm-fresh vegetables. 

Bennett said Gateway to Early Learning has helped provide another option for working class families in Columbia Falls. The organization offers daycare and preschool, which he hopes will only continue to get more affordable as they become more staffed and can accept more children into the programs.  

“Like with any business you have certain fixed costs. To heat the building, it doesn’t really matter if there’s 10 kids in it or 100 kids in it, the heat bill is going to be about the same, right?” Bennett said. “If you can have more kids in there, you can keep your costs down. So that’s kind of the idea. And eventually, maybe instead of $1,000 a month, maybe we could lower it to $800 a month, hopefully just drive that even lower,” 

In addition to providing support to the nonprofits, funds raised by the foundation are also going toward repairs to the building, which was built in 1940.  

“We put new flooring in, painted and updated the bathrooms. Right now, we’re working on the heating system. We just rebuilt that,” he said.  

It’s heartwarming to see the former elementary school buzzing with families. Bennett is hopeful that providing a place for kids is not only helpful to their continued education, but to their long-term success as people.  

He said there’s a growing divide between the richest and poorest people in society, which only makes things harder on working class people just trying to get by.  

“One of the ways I explain it is if you’re trying to climb one of these ponderosa pine trees, it’s too big to get your arms around to shimmy up — and the first branch is like 10 feet above the ground, right?” Bennett said. “But if there is someone standing there to help give a boost, they’ll be able to reach that first branch. Then it’s up to them. So, all I’m trying to do is get them to that first branch.” 

Bennett just celebrated 20 years of Freedom Bank, which he founded in 2005. He said giving back is just part of how he was raised.  

“I feel very fortunate in my life. I have a wonderful family and I’ve been successful, and I just know that there’s a lot of people who struggle, and I just want to do what I can to help people improve their lives and their family situations,” he said.  

To learn more about the Columbia Falls Kids Foundation, visit cfkidsfoundation.org/.  

Reporter Taylor Inman may be reached at 758-4440 or [email protected].