MISSOULA — Gov. Greg Gianforte visited Downtown Missoula on Tuesday, December 5, 2023, to donate over $20,000 of his salary to the LifeGuard Group.
The donation is part of the Governor’s 12 Days of Giving Campaign, which runs through December 13.
This is the third year that Gov. Gianforte has given his salary earnings to various Montana non-profits.
“I ran for office to serve the state, and I made the commitment when I came in that I would give my salary away every year,” he says. “And we use the 12 Days of Giving as a way to highlight these nonprofits.”
The LifeGuard Group is an organization that works to end human trafficking, particularly in rural cities across America.
They focus on responding, rescuing, restoring and reviving affected women. The LifeGuard Group also fosters education, civic engagement and rescue training across Montana.
The $20,425 donated by Gianforte will go towards paying off the group’s safe house mortgage.
“There's just something about when that debt is gone, that you know that every dollar goes to the healing purpose of the Lighthouse,” The LifeGuard Group CEO and executive director Lowell Hochhalter, says. “The more that we can come together we can accomplish great things.
While the large donation is greatly appreciated by the organization, Hochhalter says it’s more rewarding to feel the support from the governor.
“Yes, the money is helpful, but I guess there's the gratification of knowing that there are people that, not just financially, but support you and the work and believe in what you're doing,” Hochhalter says.
Gov. Gianforte says he hopes his campaign will shed light on community organizations across the state and inspire help from fellow Montanans.
“The best part of the 12 Days of Giving is that we get to highlight the great work that all these nonprofits are doing,” Gov. Gianforte says. “And so we pick a whole bunch of different non-profits that are making a difference. And we just want Montanans to see how they may want to get involved. It's what Montanans do best is they help their neighbors.”
To find out more about donating time or money to The LifeGuard Group, visit their website.
