In America 1 in 6 children may not know where they will get their next meal, according to Feeding America. One in 30 children are homeless, according to the National Center of Family Homelessness, American Institute for Research.
These issues are not just a “Big City” reality. They also occur in the suburbs, small towns, rural communities and right here across Montana. Pea Green Boat brought these issues to light with the reading of Crenshaw, by Katherine Applegate to highlight the efforts of individuals and organizations who provide services to those in need. Find information below about available resources and organizations working on these issues.
Helena, MT:
Housing First Front Doors: Coordinated Entry System Our goal is to rapidly respond to people experiencing homelessness by working together as a community to coordinate housing and service options to ensure homelessness remains rare, brief and non-reoccurring in the greater Helena area.
Good Samaritan Ministries 406.442.0780
PureView Health Center-Healthcare for the Homeless 406.457.0000
Volunteers of America 406.996-1212
Missoula:
Emergency Shelters:
Poverello Center: 406.728.1809 Shelter for adults experiencing homelessness
YWCA Missoula Pathways Emergency Housing 406.543-6691 50 days of shelter for families experiencing homelessness.
Missoula Inter-Faith Collaborative: 406-207-8228 Family Promise of Missoula practices hospitality provides shelter, meals and support to Missoula families to help them rebuild their lives.
Reaching Home: Missoula Coordinated Entry System Reaching Home Missoula identifies the most appropriate housing resource to facilitate a rapid and permanent exit from homelessness, while prioritizing the most vulnerable households and help them gain access to the available safe housing in the area. Partners Include:
Human Resource Council: 406.532.8249
Emergency Housing Solutions can pay for first month's rent, security deposit, and utility deposit for eligible participants to move into permanent housing.
YWCA Missoula: 406.543.6691 Rapid Re-Housing:12 months of rental assistance and case management for families experiencing homelessness.
HUD-VASH Veteran Services: 406.3724
Salvation Army: Day Services & Warming Shelter 406.549.0710
Union Gospel Mission: 406.524.5240
Missoula Housing Authority: 406.549.4113 Visit Missoula.House to access the new online housing application system
Kalispell, MT:
Community Action Partnership of Northwest Montana: 406-758-5432
CAPNM provides social services and advocacy, together with local partners, to alleviate poverty, improve lives and strengthen communities in the Flathead, Lake, Lincoln and Sanders Counties.
Billings, MT:
Rescue Mission 406.782.0925
Bozeman, MT:
Family Promise of Gallatin Valley 406-582-7388
More info:
- http://opi.mt.gov/Leadership/ Academic-Success/Title-Other- Federal-Programs/Homeless- Children-Youth/Resources
- https://www.mcpsmt.org/Domain/1260
- https://butteassistanceprograms.org/
- https://www.sparrowsnestnwmt.org/
- https://www.nn4youth.org/
- https://www.usich.gov/tools-for-action/map/#fn[]=100&fn[]=200&fn[]=400&fn[]=700&fn[]=900&year=2017&usheltered=true
Community Gardens
- https://www.gardencityharvest.org/
- https://communitygarden.org/ -- for resources for starting a garden and networking, national level
- http://www.milltowngardenpatch.org/ - Bonner/Milltown Garden Patch
- https://www.bozeman.net/services/community-gardens -- Bozeman Community Gardens
- https://www.buttenews.net/index.php/11-latest-news/6613-community-gardens - Butte Community Gardens
- https://www.rivercityharvest.com/ -- Great Falls Community Gardens
- http://helenagardens.org/ -- Helena Community Gardens
Farm to School and School Garden programming across the state:
- http://gvfarmtoschool.org/
- http://nourishtheflathead.org/farm-to-school/
- http://www.parkhigh.org/f2s.html
- http://www.montana.edu/mtfarmtoschool/
