General Distributing Company has donated $20,000 to the Great Falls Clinic Legacy Foundation for its capital campaign to build future patient housing for cancer patients and others traveling to Great Falls for treatment.

“The General Distributing team was made aware of the Great Falls Clinic Legacy Foundation’s plan to expand the campus to serve patients who travel for medical care with patient housing, thus allowing patients and families to stay together through these extended treatments. General Distributing is honored to be a small part of this project that will undoubtedly create better patient outcomes and outlying community access to better solutions for treatment and care needs,” said Eric Bliss, co-owner of General Distributing Company.

The Great Falls Clinic Legacy Foundation announced its plans for future patient housing last June. The Great Falls Clinic sees an average of 650 surgical and 400 cancer care patients per month, with approximately 42 percent of those patients traveling from out-of-town.

“Our patients are our number one priority and helping to relieve some of the financial burden of medical care, as well as, housing and travel costs associated with out-of-town visits is important,” said Samantha Shinaberger, foundation manager, secretary/treasurer. “The housing facility will reduce the amount of stress placed on our patients seeking medical care. Knowing their housing and travel is taken care of for the duration of their treatment is meaningful to them.”

During their Dec. 5 meeting, City Commissioners approved a rezone of the property for the proposed hotel from PLI Public Lands and Institutional to M-1 Mixed-Use District and a Conditional Use Permit to allow a health care facility in the M-1 zoning, which is needed since the existing clinic facilities wouldn’t be considered a permitted land use in the proposed zoning that would allow for the hotel.

Hotel for Great Falls Clinic to be considered during Dec. 5 commission meeting

The planned patient housing facility will feature 12 patient guest rooms, including double queen rooms and single king rooms to accommodate large and small families. The rooms will be handicap-accessible and patient-friendly, according to the foundation, and to accommodate all lengths of patient treatments, all rooms will have a kitchenette and other hotel amenities.

Earlier this week, the foundation announced a $25,000 donation for the hotel from Pacific Steel and Recycling.

“We at Pacific Steel & Recycling along with our employee owners are excited to provide financial support for this project. This project will allow cancer patients throughout north central Montana to have convenient housing when they travel to Great Falls wherever they choose to receive their treatment,” said Jeff Millhollin, president and CEO.

For more information or to make a donation, visit http://www.gfclegacy.org or call 406-771- 3107.