From Door-to-Door Fundraising

to 60 Years of Love: Our Origin Story

As we close out our 59th year, we are excited to be entering our Diamond Jubilee year. Great Falls Children’s Receiving Home has housed, fed, clothed and loved thousands of children from across the state over the past six decades. Many people have heard of us and may know our mission. But many don’t know our birth story, and that needs to change. In early 1966 a group of Great Falls citizens including many members of the clergy from various churches came together to address an unmet need in the community. There was nowhere for children to be placed on an emergency basis by Child and Family Services. There were receiving homes operating in both Billings and Butte at the time. Throughout the spring and summer of 1966 money was raised to start and fund the operations of a Receiving Home in Great Falls. By the fall a door-to-door fundraising campaign was organized by several churches in town. The local high school football games raised money at half time as well. The Board of Directors held meetings anywhere that would have them to educate the community about the benefits of having a Receiving Home. Newspaper articles at the time state they were hoping to open doors by Christmas 1966. The organization had raised over $9,000 by October 1966. Various other local organizations donated several thousand dollars more. On February 24, 1967, an article stated “a request from proponents of a receiving home at 727 4th Ave N was denied after protest from six adjoining property owners. The board suggested that proponents of the home discuss the proposed receiving home with the protestants. The home would be a place for neglected children.” Since the first house selected fell through, GFCRH found itself as a tenant of St Thomas Orphanage for almost 15 years. In June 1982 we moved into our current house. From our current house we care for up to 14 children at a time. We are licensed as a Youth Shelter Care Facility by the state of Montana. We have averaged one youth a year aging out of foster care from the Receiving Home over the last seven years. We have cared for children for several years at a time. We had a sibling group with us for 3.5 years. We are the only facility in Great Falls that can take boys and girls aged birth to 17, and as mentioned above, children can stay with us until their 18th birthday. We transport to school, medical appointments, work, and outings. We have two tutors that come in to work with the children approximately 5 days a week. As we start to celebrate our 60th year, your support means more than ever. Please consider a year-end donation to help us continue this vital work- donations should be sent to GFCRH, P.O. Box 1061, Great Falls, MT 59403.