A Billings nonprofit gives 110 families trees

Billings, Montana – Two free Christmas trees were offered by Ryan and Bobbi Cox on Facebook in 2020, and in a matter of hours, more than 200 people had expressed interest in claiming the trees.

Ryan and Bobbi realized there was a need in the Billings community that they wanted to serve after seeing the amount of attention the two free trees garnered.

“Ryan and I took a lot of money out of our pocket, and we helped 26 families that first year, and then it just kept growing from there,” Bobbi said on Sunday.

They assisted twenty-eight families in the first year. Since then, the number has increased annually, leading the Cox family to establish Project Christmas Miracle.

“Our project was to bring the Christmas miracle, just a small piece of that to families that’s why it’s Project Christmas Miracle,” Ryan said. “Last year, we helped 60 families, which was kind of our pipeline dream. If we can get to 60 families in a season, that’s awesome. But this year, the fact that we were able to help 110 families, is humbling, for sure.”

More than 20 volunteers helped deliver stockings, decorations, and artificial trees to families that applied or were nominated on the nonprofit’s website this year as part of Project Christmas Miracle.

When they present the trees, Bobbi said they get happy, tearful, and joyful reactions.

“(They’re) so grateful, you know, they may never have gifts, but they have that tree every year,” Bobbi said.

Families in the Billings area and the neighboring communities receive tree deliveries from the nonprofit. They brought Helena a tree this year. According to Ryan, they want to expand further to assist more families throughout the state.

“We want to help Montana. We’re Montanans, you know, this is where we were born and raised. We want to help those families in this state,” Ryan said.

The day after Christmas, according to Ryan and Bobbi, is when they get ready to perform Christmas miracles again. They depend on contributions from Billings locals and companies to be able to keep providing a Christmas gathering spot for families to get together and create memories.