Gap Fillers Flathead pays off school tuition debt in Columbia Falls

COLUMBIA FALLS – Thanks to a nonprofit organization called Gap Fillers Flathead, Columbia Falls School District families and their students have had all of their school tuition debt completely erased.

Founded in 2019, Gap Fillers Flathead's mission is to protect the health, privacy and dignity of underserved children in Flathead school districts.

“District-wide, all 2,200 children in the district, regardless of food application, simply have no debt,” said Columbia Falls School District Superintendent Cory Dziowgo.

More than $9,000 in outstanding lunch debt for Columbia Falls students has been fully repaid. Dziowgo thanks Gap Fillers Flathead for the clean slate.

“They all start from scratch with this balance, which takes the pressure off of us and allows our families to really focus on taking care of each other.”

Gap Fillers Flathead is committed to eliminating all school tuition debt in Flathead County, providing life-saving medical supplies such as Epi-Pens and AEDs, and free hygiene kits to students.

“We are committed to the community and ensuring every child in Montana has equal opportunities,” said Gap Fillers Flathead Tammi Fisher.

Fisher said Gap Fillers Flathead is funded entirely by community donations.

“Most of our donors were the children in a school lunch line who could not afford student lunches. So we have donors who are very generous,” Fisher added.

Dziowgo said the school district is grateful for the new beginning: “It's great that their generosity has increased and helped our families, just a really great opportunity.”

Anyone who would like to donate to Gap Fillers Flathead can do so here.