Nonprofits Donate $3,000 in Steaks to First Responders
Three Billings nonprofits served a community cookout for first responders at the Billings Airport Fire Department.
Updated on Nov. 7, 2026 in Philanthropy
Pay Love Forward, Magic City Century Club and Eagle Mount donated more than $3,000 in steaks and burgers for a cookout outside the Billings Airport Fire Department. First responders were served a meal and given the chance to take steaks home.
Why it matters
The cookout recognized first responders after a difficult August that included a mass shooting and house fire in Billings. It highlights how local groups are responding to the community's recent hardship.
The donation totaled more than $3,000 in steaks and burgers, funded in part by the Magic City Century Club, a group of about 100 men who contribute money quarterly to community projects. The number of first responders served was not reported.
The players
Pay Love Forward
A Billings nonprofit founded by Dr. Matthew Leavenworth that helped organize the first responder cookout.
Magic City Century Club
A Billings giving group of about 100 men that contributes money quarterly to fund community projects and nonprofit donations.
Kent O'Donnell
The Yellowstone County Sheriff-elect who attended the cookout honoring first responders.
The details
Volunteers from Pay Love Forward, Magic City Century Club and Eagle Mount fired up the grill to serve first responders. Montana Food Distributors also made the meal possible, and Yellowstone County Sheriff-elect Kent O'Donnell attended the gathering.
Timeline
Aug. 23, 2026: A mass shooting and house fire killed eight members of a blended family in Billings.
Nov. 7, 2026: The community cookout for first responders was published.
Community Giving Model
The donation follows the established quarterly giving model of the Magic City Century Club, which pools member contributions to fund local projects. It extends that model to a direct thank-you for first responders after a difficult August in Billings.
Billings residents who want to support similar efforts can look to local groups like Pay Love Forward and the Magic City Century Club for ways to contribute. The cookout shows first responders being thanked directly by their neighbors after a hard stretch for the city.
The takeaway
Small, recurring contributions from local groups can make a visible difference for the people who respond when a community is in crisis. Readers interested in similar giving can look for organizations in their own city that already coordinate recognition events.
Further reading
Explore more philanthropy stories from across the region to see how local groups give back.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Q2 News (KTVQ).
