YELLOWSTONE COMMUNITY FUND
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YELLOWSTONE COMMUNITY FUND
Helping the Upper Yellowstone Drainage

** The economic disaster continues! **
Having lost the 2022 tourism season, our communities struggle to survive the winter
and reopen in 2023.

Phase 1 closed and Phase 2 opened September 15, 2022.
​We are now accepting donations and making grants in Phase 2.

**********
The Yellowstone Community Fund is a volunteer-led and registered 501(c)3 in Gardiner, MT.
​Your donations will go directly to the aid of residents and businesses impacted by the devastating flooding of the Upper Yellowstone River drainages, which occurred on June 13, 2022.


Your donation provides aid to families, whose income has been directly impacted by the floods. By keeping donation dollars in the community, you have maximized your gift. Your gift helps keep Gardiner, Silver Gate and Cooke City residents in the community, which is what we need to rebuild our homes, businesses, roads, bridges, and livelihoods.

Gardiner, Silver Gate, Cooke City ARE OPEN FOR BUSINESS! 

We are deeply grateful for your support in aiding our community in recovering from the impacts of the flood. We invite you to SLEEP, DINE, SHOP, and BOOK GUIDED TOURS, with local Gardiner businesses. Please join us in exploring and discovering the wonders of Yellowstone National Park and the awesome power of nature at its wildest.
DONATE NOW
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Yellowstone Community Fund partners for Phase 2
​are
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A Personal Message From Dr. Jim Halfpenny

Loss and damage of roads closed the north and northeast entrances to Yellowstone National Park.  Without tourism, Gardiner, Cooke City and Silver businesses and employees suffered an economic disaster. Phase 1 of grant funding allowed individuals to through the summer but without summer savings and limited winter business our communities are expecting severe financial hardship this winter.  YCF wants residents to remain in the area and reopen businesses in 2023.  YCF needs additional funding for our grant program.  Please view my video on the right and donate to Phase 2 now.  Details about Phases 1 and 2 are below.
​Jim Halfpenny, Administrator, Yellowstone Community Fund .
  • Yellowstone Community Fund Phase 1 
The response from folks across the United States showed their love and caring for the citizens or the Upper Yellowstone Drainage and made it possible to get through the summer.  Contributions were received 408 donors totaling about $146,566, including restricted donations of $12,576.  Donations from through this website totaled $33,744 (23%) with the remainder coming through the mail and by hand delivery.  From the general account, YCF gave out about 185 grants totaling $132,075.  Many have helped.  Please click on the Supporters section at the top of the page to see our thank you list.
  • Yellowstone Community Fund Phase 2

YCF is entering Phase 2 with great hopes for the opportunity to make a substantial difference in the lives of our communities by retaining as many individuals and businesses as possible through assistance with their financial burdens.  The winter will be a long-term economic challenge.  Our efforts will be greatly aided through our new partnership with the Greater Gallatin United Way (GGUW) and Park County Community Foundation (PCCF).  Fund raising efforts by musicians and other entertainers provided an influx of new funds through our partners.  Additionally YCF is continuing to solicit donations.

Going forward YCF will distribute grants to individuals and small businesses of the Upper Yellowstone Drainage.  YCF will help with monthly expenses but not claimed losses.  YCF will continue their help through June 30, 2023.

To donate or request funding go to the top of this page.

​

FROM THE NEWS

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Yellowstone Gateway Town Is Cut Off From Its Top Tourist Attraction
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Residents of Gardiner, Mont., brace for struggle after a flood destroyed sections of the park's main highway entrance from the north.

Washington Post
July 7, 2022
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With Yellowstone closed, gateway towns face a fight for survival
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Business owners in tourist towns fear the closure could be a death sentence

Washington Post
June 18, 2022

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Yellowstone National Park Service
UPDATE: June 14, 2022
 
Northern portion of Yellowstone National Park likely to remain closed for a substantial length of time due to severely damaged, impacted infrastructure
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Gardiner assesses damages after record flooding
Bozeman Daily Chronicle: June 13, 2022

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After unprecedented flooding on Monday, the town of Gardiner is cut off.
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The town of nearly 900 and the northern entrance to Yellowstone National Park are isolated after flooding from the Gardner and Yellowstone Rivers damaged and closed roadways north and south of town.
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'The park is our livelihood': Gardiner faces loss of tourism industry
Bozeman Daily Chronicle
June 19, 2022


... 
A 5 mile stretch of road that connects Mammoth to Gardiner was extensively damaged that day by historic flooding from the Gardner and Yellowstone rivers, leading the park to evacuate visitors and temporarily closed all five entrances. 

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As the floodwaters receded throughout the week, the park decided that the two northern entrances will be closed for at least the summer.
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Gardiner, Montana, before the June 2022 floods

YOUR DONATION

Your donation will help local Gardiner, Silver Gate and Cooke City, MT residents rebuild their lives and businesses. Thank you for helping us stay in the community during this time of crisis!
DONATE NOW
SOME THANK YOUS
The YCF Allocation Committee (Linda and Reggie Carney, Jenny Golding, Lauren McGarvey and Erin Stahler) and I wish to thank the following groups, businesses, and individuals for their help and contributions.  Ashea Mills, Big Sky Adventures and Tours (Andrea Saari and Denise Wade), Colter Pass, Cooke City, Silver Gate Community Council (Donna Roland), Cooke City Chamber of Commerce, Gardiner Chamber of Commerce (Terese Petcoff, Mike Singleton and employees), Gardiner Market (Rebecca Desmaree),  Greater Gallatin United way (Danica Jamison, George Haddenhorst, Megan Castle, case workers and  and other employees). Mount Republic Chapel of Peace (Don Taylor), Park County Community Fund (Gavin Clark and employees), Ponderosa Productions Co (Robby and Britany Hirst), True Ranch Services and Yellowstone Pop-Up OTO Ranch (Bridget Brussels and  and employees), Wild West Raft Company (Patrick Sipp, Patrick Gefell, Northwest River Supply's Chris McAdams  and employees) and Yellowstone Hot Springs (Erin Kennedy and employees).

​Yellowstone Community Fund
PO Box 989
Gardiner, MT 59030


tel: (769)  759-0305
email: hello@yellowstonecommunityfund.org
Registered 501(c)3 EIN: 46-2144465
All Rights Reserved © 2022
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