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It’s that time of year again! The Abbie Shelter is so excited to be participating in the 2024 Great Fish Community Challenge! The Great Fish Community Challenge is brought to you by Whitefish Community Foundation and is celebrating it’s 10th year of raising funds for numerous Flathead Valley non-profit organizations. Here is everything our supporters need to know as we kick off this incredible campaign: DONATIONS: There are several ways to make a donation or gift to the Abbie Shelter, you can find helpful information about how to do so here:   https://whitefishcommunityfoundation.org/donations/ways-to-donate/   IMPORTANT DATES: The Great Fish Community Challenge giving period is August 8, 2024 through September 13, 2024. The Great Fish Launch Party is from 5:30 to 7 p.m. on August 8, 2024 at Three Rivers Bank in Whitefish. The Great Fish Fun Run & Community Celebration will be from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on September 7, 2024 at Depot Park in Whitefish. The Great Fish Awards Ceremony will be October 22, 2024 at the Wachholz College Center in Kalispell.   OTHER IMPORTANT INFORMATION Organizations receive gifts designated to them. Those organizations that raise at least $10,000 will also receive a Great Fish Matching Grant. The match percentage awarded will depend on the ratio between the total amount raised in the Great Fish Match Fund and the total amount of eligible designated contributions raised by participating nonprofit organizations. Gifts benefiting participating nonprofits must be made directly to Whitefish Community Foundation. All checks must be payable to Whitefish Community Foundation. Donors can give to more than one organization with a single gift to Whitefish Community   All of us here at The Abbie Shelter appreciate your support and gifts! See you at the Great Fish Launch Party!

In this newsletter: "Downton Abbie" Tea Party - Feb 21 We're Hiring! 2026 Park Side Partner Announcement In the News: Abbie's 50th Anniversary LOVE Yoga Gratitude Kalispell Women's Fair - April 11 "Downton Abbie" Tea Party - Feb 21 You're invited to a "Downton Abbie" Tea Party! Join us on February 21 from 1:00-3:00pm at the iconic yellow Somers Mansion for an afternoon of food, connection, and fun. This family-friendly, open house-style event kicks off the Abbie Shelter's 50th anniversary year of service to the Flathead Valley community. Come enjoy a delicious selection of teas generously provided by Lake Missoula Tea Company and delightful baked goodies from Ephemera Confection . Additional event activities will include hat decorating, a photobooth, and teas to take home. Themed costumes and tea party attire aren't required but are highly encouraged! More information and ticket details can be found here . Join Our Team We're hiring! Join our team as our next Residential Support Advocate . This position plays a key role in supporting all aspects of our shelter program, including the shelter residents, facilities, and program staff team. It's a great opportunity for anyone looking to step into the social services field while learning how to be an strong advocate for survivors of intimate partner violence and sexual assault. Check out the job description and apply here . The position is open until filled, so be sure to apply soon. 2026 Park Side Partner Announcement We are thrilled to announce that the Abbie Shelter was selected as one of Park Side Credit Union 's three Flathead Valley Park Side Partner Programs in 2026. It is an honor to receive this recognition and we look forward to working with the fantastic team at Park Side throughout the coming year. Congrats to our fellow Flathead-area 2026 Park Side Partners at The Making Place and Boys and Girls Club of Glacier Country ! In the News: Abbie's 50th Anniversary In case you missed it, the Abbie Shelter was featured in a recent Flathead Beacon article highlighting our 50th anniversary. The piece outlines our five-decade history and the evolution of our work over time, starting with the founding of our original volunteer-led crisis line in 1976.  We are deeply grateful for the thoughtful and informative coverage of our 50 years of service to the Flathead Valley community. Take a look to learn more and join us in celebrating this exciting milestone throughout 2026. LOVE Yoga Gratitude Speaking of gratitude, our deep appreciation goes out to our friends at LOVE Yoga for their ongoing support of the Abbie Shelter.  Instructor and facilitator Jill Colleen, also a past volunteer advocate who answered calls on our Helpline, hosted a recent workshop at LOVE benefiting the Abbie. Called 2026 Vision Journey , this meaningful and heart-centered event included a blend of gentle movement, moving meditation, and vision board creation as participants imagined what's to come in the year ahead. A big thank you, Jill and everyone at LOVE Yoga, for continuing to uplift the Abbie Shelter and shine light on our critical work in the community. Kalispell Women's Fair - Apr 11 Mark your calendars! The Women's Fair is returning to Kalispell in 2026,and we're excited to share that the Abbie Shelter was selected as one of this year's featured nonprofits. This fun event is a gathering of local businesses, organizations, entrepreneurs, and artists coming together to create women-centered opportunities for connection and community-building. Come visit us at this interactive and family-friendly event on April 11 from 11:00am-4:00pm at the Kalispell Hilton Garden Inn. It is free to attend and a portion of the donations collected at the event will benefit the Abbie Shelter.

MEET OUR NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR! The Abbie Shelter is excited to introduce our new Executive Director, Kristen Schepker. Kristen first joined the organization's staff team in the Summer of 2023 as our Operations Director. In addition to her work with the Abbie over the past year, she also brings to the Executive Director role her many years of past experience working with programs serving unhoused youth and families, primarily in the San Francisco Bay Area.   Kristen is thrilled to embark on this next chapter of her journey with the Abbie. She looks forward to continuing to serve and advocate for survivors of domestic and sexual violence both within the Flathead Valley and beyond. GREAT FISH AWARDS CEREMONY ON OCT. 22 Join us on Tuesday, October 22 for the Great Fish Awards Ceremony at the Wachholz College Center in Kalispell! This event marks the culmination of another record-breaking year of the Great Fish Community Challenge. We can't wait to celebrate the inspiring work of several of our closest partner agencies and numerous other nonprofits from across the Valley. The Awards Ceremony begins with a reception in the lobby at 5pm , followed by the official program in the auditorium at 6pm . The Whitefish Community Foundation will unveil the Great Fish Match, present special awards and announce the grand tally raised in this year's Challenge.  Thank you to the incredible network of Abbie Shelter donors who supported us in the Great Fish Community Challenge this year. Because of your generosity, in 2024, we raised more funds than ever before through this vital campaign. Your contributions help ensure that we can continue offering comprehensive and compassionate care to some of the most vulnerable members of our shared community. We could not be more grateful to have your support. JOIN OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS Are you interested in deepening your connection to the Flathead Valley through nonprofit Board service? The Abbie Shelter is currently seeking volunteers to join our Board of Directors as we head into an exciting new season of strategic planning. Visit this link to complete our Volunteer Application or reach out to us with any questions about serving on our Board

We are short on scholarship providers, and we want to partner with you! We offer a limited mental health scholarship to established Abbie Shelter clients who otherwise would not be able to access mental health treatment. We need partner mental health providers. Free 3 hour training with an expert DV clinician Are you a counselor interested in learning more about how to treat survivors of intimate partner violence and sexual assault? Don't miss this opportunity for in-person training in Kalispell. Contact Mental Health Advocate Hannah Perno 406-261-1371

In this newsletter: Record-Breaking Great Fish Community Challenge October Is Domestic Violence Awareness Month Volunteer Position Openings Adopt-A-Family Registration Open Community Partner Spotlights Share Your Story Record-Breaking Great Fish Community Challenge Last week at its annual Great Fish Awards Ceremony, the Whitefish Community Foundation announced a record-breaking year in the 2025 Great Fish Community Challenge. Overall, the foundation awarded an astonishing $8.1 million to 85 nonprofits offering services across the Flathead Valley. We are thrilled to share that the Abbie Shelter raised a total of $220,000 in the 2025 Challenge, a remarkable new fundraising record for our organization in this critical campaign. We are deeply grateful to the Whitefish Community Foundation for hosting this incredible event each year. And of course, a huge thank you to the more than 480 donors who gave to the Abbie Shelter in this year's Great Fish Community Challenge. Your generosity makes it possible for us to keep standing up for survivors in our community. October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month October marks the anniversary of the first campaign in 1981 to bring awareness to intimate partner violence in the United States. Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM) is now honored annually at this time of year and serves to unite advocates across the country who are working to end abuse in their own communities. This effort remains just as important now as it did more than four decades ago on the first "Day of Unity." Today, an estimated 1 in 4 women and 1 in 7 men will face violence from an intimate partner in their lifetime. At the Abbie Shelter, we teach hundreds of people each year about the signs of abuse and ways to stop it. Your support of our programs directly supports our mission to make our community a safer place for all who live here. Read more about DVAM in A Comprehensive Guide to Domestic Violence Awareness Month at DomesticShelters.org . Volunteer Positions Open We are looking for volunteers to fill a few open positions at our shelter program. Check out the position descriptions below and let us know if you can help! SHELTER SUPPORT: This volunteer works on-site at the shelter to assist with organizational tasks like donation sorting and cleaning projects. Cleanliness and stability are an important part of making the shelter feel safe and comfortable for residents. 1-3 hours weekly. MEAL PICK-UP: This volunteer uses their personal transportation to pick up meals from donors around Kalispell and deliver them to the shelter on Tuesday nights. 1 hour weekly. Adopt-A-Family Registration Open Each winter, we host an Adopt-A-Family program to collect holiday gifts for individuals and families who are receiving services from the Abbie Shelter. Expenses often add up quickly for survivors as they work to build safer and more independent lives, especially for families with children. If you or someone you know wants to help brighten the holidays for a survivor this season, please register by clicking the link below. Community Partner Spotlights A few amazing local businesses recently donated their time, energy, and funds to support the Abbie Shelter in a variety of ways. Our deep appreciation goes out to the following groups for their valuable contributions: Air-Pro donated essential air duct cleaning services at our shelter facility. James Netherly of Netherly Construction cleaned the gutters at our shelter free of charge. Backslope Brewing in Columbia Falls featured the Abbie Shelter at a community night event that raised $200 for our programs. PEAK Fit Kalispell hosted a donation-based class and raised over $1,000 for the Abbie Shelter. Thank you so much to these and all of the other wonderful Flathead Valley businesses that support our work year-round! If your company is interested in hosting a fundraiser to benefit the Abbie Shelter, learn more by clicking the link below. Share Your Story With Us Do you have a personal connection to the Abbie Shelter? If so, we want to hear from you! As we prepare to celebrate our 50th anniversary in 2026, we are collecting stories from people who've worked with the Abbie Shelter or the Violence Free Crisis Line as a volunteer, staff, Board member, client, donor, or member of the community. Stories can be shared anonymously and can be as short or as long as you wish.

Launching in 1976 with a 24-hour Rape Crisis Line, the Abbie Shelter has evolved into a six-bed facility, providing resources and court advocacy for domestic violence survivors while educating the community. By Maggie Dresser January 30, 2026 Read the original article from the Flathead Beacon Illustration by Dwayne Harris. On Christmas Eve in 1994, Kalispell’s first facility available for women escaping domestic violence opened its doors in a confidential location, offering beds and resources to shelter clients experiencing abusive relationships. In the years prior, partner abuse offenses were on the rise, but only 34% of nationwide reports resulted in arrests, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. The Abigail Frederick Memorial Shelter, better known as the Abbie Shelter, became the Flathead Valley’s first private facility designed to house domestic violence survivors, or “battered women,” as victims were described at the time. The facility was named after the organization’s first paid staff member just a few years after she was killed in a bicycle accident. In addition to housing services, the nonprofit also offers mental health care, legal advocacy and connects their clients to other resources. But the shelter aspect of the organization is only part of the nonprofit’s mission, which dates back to 1976 when a group of volunteers with the Kalispell chapter of the National Organization for Women (NOW), who became known as the “founding mothers,” launched a 24-hour Rape Crisis Line. The program was designed to provide emotional support to victims over the phone while directing women to resources like health care and “prosecution procedures” and was at the time funded through the local United Way chapter. Before the call line officially launched that April, the group regularly published “volunteers needed” postings in local newspapers and described the need for confidential support and to help formalize procedures on “reporting sexual attacks.” “There was a growing awareness around the need to support rape victims,” Abbie Shelter Executive Director Kristen Schepker said. “It was known that predominantly women were suffering in silence. They weren’t speaking out about what was happening to them. They certainly weren’t going to the police and filing police reports.” Nationwide, crisis lines were gaining traction as a confidential avenue for women to obtain support as awareness surrounding “battered women” evolved. Even in rural Montana, during a time when Flathead County’s population hovered around 40,000 people, those founding mothers saw a need. “It was a pretty bold move for people to speak out and in those early days of the crisis line, it was completely volunteer led,” Schepker said. “It was a group of women who are still referred to by the organization as the founding mothers who really said, ‘enough is enough.’ We see ourselves today as carrying on the legacy of the work 50 years later.” Today, the confidential shelter is now in its second location with six bedrooms that can host families or individuals who can now stay up to five months. The hotline still exists, although its name has morphed over the years from the “rape crisis line” to “violence free crisis line” to its present name, the “helpline.” It receives an average of 100 calls per month, a statistic that has not changed much over the years, although Schepker clarifies the helpline has reduced its hours from a 24-7 service as volunteer recruitment remains a struggle — a challenge the organization has endured since the beginning. The helpline is available Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. The organization also works with multiple nonprofits like Northwest Montana United Way, Samaritan House and Community Action Partnership of Northwest Montana (CAPNM), where Abbie Shelter clients often transition to as they exit abusive situations. “We’re very cautious with confidentiality,” CAPNM Executive Director Tracy Diaz said. “We’re going to help them with housing and payments, and we show them how they can sustain that housing once we step away. We get them stable and provide assistance if needed.” In 2025, the Abbie Shelter’s seven paid staff members helped more than 100 individuals in the community submit requests for temporary orders of protection. Court advocacy remains a significant aspect of the organization’s work since people who experience domestic violence are victims of crime, and the Abbie Shelter has a staff member housed in the Kalispell Police Department office and another in the Flathead County Sheriff’s Office. “That creates a safe, accessible space for victims and survivors to go and meet with them,” Schepker said. “It’s not always appropriate for all people to engage with law enforcement, but most of the time we get feedback that people feel safer meeting with staff who are literally at the police department.” Kristen Schepker, Director of the Abbie Shelter, pictured in Kalispell on Jan. 20, 2026. Hunter D’Antuono | Flathead Beacon Because of the close involvement with the justice system, the Abbie Shelter relies heavily on U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) grants including the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) and the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA). A year ago, that money was at risk amid federal funding freezes , but it was eventually distributed; however, the uncertainty poses future concern since federal grants make up 30% of the Abbie Shelter’s revenue. Schepker now relies on the Whitefish Community Foundation’s Great Fish Challenge, which is also a significant contributor, more than she has in the past. “In 2025, we did receive all of the federal funding that we expected. That being said, we have seen a reduction in some of our federal grant funding this year in 2026,” Schepker said. “So that’s troubling to me.” While DOJ programming hasn’t seen cuts, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development money, which is funneled directly to shelter programming, has been on the chopping block. “For the last year, that’s what’s been keeping me up at night,” Schepker said. A framed poster in the Abbie Shelter office in Kalispell on Jan. 20, 2026. Hunter D’Antuono | Flathead Beacon More than 35 years ago , Janet Cahill, the director of the Violence Free Crisis Line (as it was called at the time), told the Daily Inter Lake that, while the volume of clients was unchanged compared to the previous few years, the services increased. “We are serving about the same number of people, but the number of battered women has increased,” Cahill said in 1989. “And the number of services we provide for each person has increased.” That same year, the crisis line received roughly 1,200 calls, which is about the same volume the helpline receives today with its reduced hours. “The more things change, the more they seem to stay the same,” Schepker said. “It’s frustrating; the stats around violence towards women have not changed much. The services that people are asking for have not changed much. It’s really the basics. It’s immediate counseling over the phone. It’s advocacy services. It’s residential services. It’s mental health support.” According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 41% of women and 26% of men have experienced contact sexual violence, physical violence or stalking by an intimate partner during their lifetime and reported a related impact. While the basics of domestic violence resources has gone largely unchanged over the decades, Schepker said her staff has had to adapt to modern day challenges like human trafficking and advances in technology. For example, victim exploitation has reached new heights as AI generated imagery and sexually explicit content is shared without their knowledge or consent. Stalking has also become more prevalent as abusers plant tracking devices on victim’s vehicles. Shelter staff regularly provide education to survivors that includes disabling their location on their phone. In recent years, community education has become a pillar of the Abbie Shelter’s work, offering trainings to organizations and businesses while providing regular presentations at the local middle and high schools. Teen-on-teen abuse has become increasingly prevalent, too, Schepker said. “Unfortunately, we have not seen a downward trend in the level of violence that people are reporting,” Schepker said. “I think we live in a culture that not only accepts but normalizes and even glorifies violence.” The Abbie Shelter is hosting a “Downton Abbie” tea party event at the Somers Mansion located at 60 Lesley Ave. on Feb. 21 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. to celebrate the 50 th anniversary. The Abbie Shelter’s helpline can be reached Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. at (406) 752-7273. A framed poster in the Abbie Shelter office in Kalispell on Jan. 20, 2026. Hunter D’Antuono | Flathead Beacon

December 11, 2025 Dear Friends of the Abbie Shelter, As 2025 winds to a close, I am reaching out to express my deep gratitude for your past support of the Abbie Shelter. This year, donors like you made it possible for our team to answer more than 1,200 calls on our Helpline. We’ve helped over 50 adults and children access safe emergency housing and made more than 1,000 referrals to connect survivors to additional supportive services. We guided 55 victims through the process of requesting Orders of Protection. Our educational presentations reached nearly 1,400 individuals , strengthening the safety net of community members who now know how to recognize the signs and symptoms of abuse. Your gift to the Abbie Shelter not only supports survivors of intimate partner violence and sexual assault, it also sends a powerful message of hope ; hope to survivors that they are seen, heard, and that a safer, healthier life is possible. And hope to our advocates that kind-hearted people see us and stand alongside us in our mission to serve victims of some of the most horrific crimes imaginable. Take the experience of a survivor who recently attended an Abbie Shelter support group for the first time: “Thanks for having me last night,” she said the next morning. “It honestly was such an empowering day for me. I woke up today feeling free for the first time.” “You have shown me what kindness feels like again,” she continued. “Genuine kindness. I felt it the first time when y’all fed me, but more than just the food, it was the little things like one woman putting BBQ sauce on my bun and another giving me coffee. I hadn’t felt genuine care in so long. If you don’t think you are doing great things, please know you are.” While you read this letter, someone is gathering the courage to come to their first support group or make their first call to our Helpline. Your continued generosity ensures that when they do, we are there, ready to greet them with kindness and fill them with hope. Help us start 2026 strong by making a tax-deductible, year-end gift today. You can mail us a check or visit abbieshelter.org/donate to donate online. We cannot thank you enough for your life-saving support of our work. With gratitude, Kristen Schepker Executive Director

Dear friends of the Abbie Shelter, As the days grow shorter and summer winds to a close, we wanted to share a brief look at how our community used the Abbie Shelter's services in the first half of 2025. Between January and June of this year, our staff and volunteer advocates worked tirelessly to ensure that: 650 Helpline calls were answered 55 people received help with Orders of Protection 49 individuals accessed emergency hotel services 30 adults and children lived safely in our confidential shelter 10 survivors used our counseling scholarship 772 community members were educated about intimate partner violence. Unfortunately, our work is not slowing down as we move into the second half of 2025. Big transitions like the start of the school year can disrupt routines and create stressors that increase the risk of intimate partner violence occurring, especially among families. With local students heading back to school this week, our team is prepared to answer the call from anyone who feels unsafe. Why Your Support Matters While demand for our services continues to increase, we are also facing a new challenge: a significant decrease in government grant funding . Federal funds have long been the backbone of the Abbie Shelter's budget. In 2024, government grants made up 36% of our total income for the year. We currently receive three federal grants that support the wages of six of our core staff positions. The latest updates we've received from our federal funding partners suggest that all three of those grants will be cut later this year. We are facing a staggering 20% total drop in federal funds as we head towards 2026. How You Can Help Right now, the best way to support our work is to make a gift to the Abbie Shelter through the Great Fish Community Challenge . In light of the anticipated cuts to our federal grant funding, we are asking those who've supported us in the Challenge in the past to consider increasing your gift by 20% this year. Your contributions help guarantee that our services will go on without interruption as we move through this period of uncertainty. No amount is too small to make a difference. The Challenge is open now through September 12. Be sure to make your gift no later than 5pm on Fri, Sept 12. To those who've already supported us in this year's Great Fish Community Challenge, we cannot thank you enough. Your generosity helps make our community a safer place for everyone who lives here. With gratitude, Kristen Schepker Executive Director Abbie Helpline: 406-752-7273

Advocates Provide Resources in Wake of Killings June 24, 2025 By Abbie Shelter Staff This year marks the fifth anniversary of two grave tragedies in the Flathead Valley. In 2020, the killing of Emily Mohler , her daughter Piper, and their friend Cody Nevins shocked our community. Later that year, the murder of Amanda Hillious  brought further devastation. In the wake of these horrific incidents, many asked what can be done to prevent domestic violence-related deaths. To this day, we still don’t have a satisfactory answer to this question.  At the Abbie Shelter, we do all that we can to promote safety, independence, and empowerment among survivors of intimate partner violence and sexual assault. Despite doubling the size of our staff and expanding all of our programs and services over the last five years, far too many people still face violent abuse in the Flathead. The slaying of Katie Olson-Hartley  and her two young children in Kalispell on Mother’s Day of this year was a heartbreaking reflection of this ongoing struggle. What happened to Katie and her children is an all-too-common event known as familicide.  According to Domesticshelters.org : Familicide occurs once every five days in the United States  Three women are killed by their current or former partner every single day Abusers who threaten to kill themselves, their victims, or others must be taken extremely seriously, especially if they have access to a gun. We believe that violence is unacceptable and that Katie, Amanda, Emily, and their children deserved to live. We believe that everyone deserves safe and healthy relationships. The unfortunate reality is that many people experiencing abuse do not ask for help, or don’t know how to talk about what they’re going through. Abusive partners often try to manipulate and isolate their victims, cutting them off from supportive friends and family.  This is where you as a loved one, neighbor, or community member can be a crucial lifeline . Support is the #1 predictor of recovery for survivors. The more we can all learn to recognize and understand the signs of abuse, the safer our community will be for everyone who lives here. If you feel unsafe, or if someone you know is experiencing abuse, we can help. The Abbie Shelter offers free and confidential services to all survivors of intimate partner violence and sexual assault in Flathead County. Chat with us online or give us a call on our Helpline at 406-752-7273, open Monday - Friday, 9am - 9pm. No matter how complex your situation is, we are here to assist you. Get involved at abbieshelter.org/donate  or become a volunteer today. Your support could quite literally save lives.

The Abbie Shelter is excited to announce our new partnership with Translation Services to provide educational materials in Spanish! ¡El Refugio Abbie se complace en anunciarlo nuestra nueva asociación con Translation Services para proporcionar materiales educativos en español! We are looking forward to better serving our entire community with this new resource. Esperamos poder servir mejor a toda nuestra comunidad con este nuevo recurso. If you or someone you know needs help, please call our Helpline 406-752-7273 Open Monday-Friday, 9-9 Si usted o alguien que usted conoce necesita ayuda, por favor llámenos 406-752-7273 Abierto de lunes a viernes, 9-9

December 24, 2025 In this newsletter: Reecia's Salon Fundraiser Adopt-A-Family Appreciation Mahjong Tournament - December 27 Thank You, Lapoem Skincare Vote for Abbie Shelter! As 2025 winds to a close, our hearts are overflowing with gratitude for the many ways in which our supporters showed up for the Abbie Shelter throughout the year. From answering Helpline calls to delivering meals to organizing donation drives and so much more, your contributions helped us serve hundreds of members of our community every month, all year long. Read on to learn more about some of the incredible donors who truly went above and beyond to brighten the holiday season for survivors and their families this year. On behalf of our team here at the Abbie, we wish you all a safe and healthy year-end and a joyful New Year ahead. Reecia's Salon Fundraiser A big thank you to Reecia and her colleagues at Reecia's Salon and Spa in Whitefish for raising funds to support the Abbie Shelter this month. Reecia's recently celebrated the salon's 25th anniversary and generously chose to host a raffle fundraiser for the Abbie while celebrating this exciting milestone. At their anniversary party earlier this month, Reecia's raised more than $1,200 for the Abbie Shelter in a single night. Their fundraiser continues through the end of December so if you missed us at the party, there's still time to get your raffle ticket now! Adopt-A-Family Appreciation This year, more than 20 donors participated in our annual Adopt-A-Family holiday gift program for Abbie Shelter clients. In addition to all of our wonderful individual donors, several local businesses and community groups "adopted" multiple families, enabling us to provide gifts for nearly 30 survivors and their children last week. Thank you to the following groups for their extraordinary generosity this holiday season: Heidi Tate of Tate Interiors , who donated gifts for multiple families First Presbyterian Church of Whitefish , whose congregation adopted several families for the third year in a row Agent J Marketing , who collected dozens of items from our wish list to share with shelter residents Malmquist Construction , whose team also adopted multiple families. Our Adopt-A-Family program would not be possible without the support of our donors and community-minded businesses like these. We could not be more grateful for their participation! Mahjong Tournament - December 27 Calling all game lovers! Our friend Bailey, a student with Whitefish High School's DECA Program, is hosting a mahjong tournament and benefit for the Abbie Shelter this Saturday, December 27 . If you're looking for a fun activity to enjoy this weekend, join us on Saturday from 1-3pm at the Iron Horse Women's Locker Room in Whitefish. Our Executive Director will also be there to speak about the work of the Abbie Shelter and share ways to get involved with the organization in 2026. All tournament entry fees will be donated to the Abbie Shelter. You can register for the event here . We hope to see you there! Thank You, Lapoem Skincare The Abbie Shelter team received a lovely holiday surprise this year from Lapoem Skincare in Whitefish. Each December, Lapoem generously donates gift bags to a small number of organizations serving the Flathead Valley community. We were honored to be selected as one of their nonprofit recipients this year. Thank you so much to Linda Woods of Lapoem for your beautiful gift of locally-made, natural skincare products for all of our shelter residents, staff, volunteers, and Board members. This gesture of love and appreciation means the world to us. Vote for Abbie Shelter! The Women's Fair is returning to Kalispell in 2026 and we need your help! The Abbie Shelter was nominated to be a featured nonprofit at the fair next Spring and your vote could help us get selected. The top two local organizations that earn the most votes will receive booth space, marketing support, and a portion of the funds raised at the Kalispell Women's Fair event on April 11, 2026. Vote here to help us win! You can vote once a day now through next Monday, December 29. Voting is super quick and easy and we are grateful for your support. Happy holidays to all, and thank you again for your support of the Abbie Shelter in 2025!