There’s lots to see at this year’s Home and Garden show in Great Falls, but there’s one booth in particular where you can take a break and engage in a little fun, while making a difference in the community.
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Northwestern Energy has a pop-a-shot basketball hoop set up, and for each basket that is made, Northwestern Energy donates $1 to either Neighborworks Great Falls or Family Promise, depending on which basket the ball goes into. The goal is to make as many baskets as you can in 30 seconds.
This is Northwestern Energy’s second year doing their pop a shot basketball donation, and last year they raised thousands of dollars for each organization, which they hope to do again.
Shane Etzweiler, Northwestern Energy’s Community Relations Manager, explains, “Why we really selected both organizations is because they help out people that might need assistance with their utility bills. So we thought, you know, we're an energy company, we also help out people with energy bills as well through various programs, but because they do it as well, too, we wanted to support them.”
Neighborworks Great Falls provides education and assistance to first time homebuyers, and says donations are more important now than ever.
Rosalie Kiernan, Neighborworks Great Falls’ Homeownership Center director, says, “We have a lot of programs that require us to depend on some federal funding, and we know with the way that things are going right now, that there's chances that some of that funding can go away. Donations and sponsorships like the things that Northwestern Energy are doing, are only going to help us.”
Family Promise also helps families in Great Falls find housing, and keep housing, and often helps families in need with their utility bills. In 2024, they provided $1,300 dollars of assistance in energy bills.
Family Promise director Greg Grosenick says, “Every penny helps us, because those all go straight to our families in one way or another. They run into ‘we're either going to be able to pay rent or we're going to be able to pay utilities, but we can't pay both’ kind of thing, that's one of the things that we're able to help with.”
You can make a shot, and make a difference this weekend at Northwestern Energy’s booth at the Home and Garden Show at the Montana ExpoPark through Sunday.
