Samaritan House will be requesting a Conditional Use Permit and would like input from our neighbors and Parents of Peterson Elementary School Students. To help with this process Samaritan House will be hosting an Open House event at the Samaritan House Administrative Center (pictured above) on Wednesday, March 2nd. The Open House will begin at 5:30 and go until 7:00 pm. There will be a brief presentation at 5:30 with a Q & A to follow. Light refreshments and tours will be available.
Open House at Samaritan House Administrative Center
Wednesday, March 2nd
5:30 - 7:00 pm with a brief presentation at 5:30 pm
1110 2nd St West
Kalispell, MT 59901
In brief here are some details of what the Conditional Use Permit will be asking for:
- Office Space for Samaritan House Administration. Acquiring this building has made it possible for Samaritan House to add 11 new beds to the shelter location at 124 9th Ave W.
- Tutoring Program. Children in homeless families often find it difficult to remain current with school work. This tutoring program will offer a consistent time and place to get this necessary help. Samaritan House Tutoring is done by Mrs. Barb Peterson, a retired school teacher from Peterson Elementary School.
- GED and Tele-Medical Services. A full GED study curriculum will be available with the help of Literacy Volunteers to assist a client in preparation for taking the GED test. Tele-Medical Services will make it possible for clients to speak with their doctors and counselors where they are and make this care more accessible.
- Dental and Medical Clinic for clients in need of affordable care.
- Food, Clothing and Furniture Pantries will receive donated items and in turn give these items to clients who need them at no charge to the client.
- Kitchen and Cafeteria for Samaritan House clients only. Meal times are:
Breakfast 7:00 - 8:00 am
Lunch Noon - 1:00 pm
Dinner 6:00 - 7:00 pm
Other important things to know about Samaritan House programs:
- Samaritan House does not serve Sex Offenders, Violent Offenders or sometimes even anyone with a felony of an aggresive nature.
- Samaritan House facilities are well staffed. Every meal time has a distinct start time and stop time.
- Every person at Samaritan House is working with Samaritan House Case Management.
- Samaritan House sees great success with its clients. Client outcomes are as follows:
- 86% have a greater permanency in housing upon discharge.
- 90% see an increase in their income or skill level upon discharge.
- 100% have a greate sense of self-determination upon discharge.
- The Annual Homeless Survey for Flathead County consistently shows around 483 homeless people. This makes Samaritan House only 18% of what is needed to properly address this areas homelessness issue.
- In 2010, Samaritan House turned away 803 local homeless people. This represents 24,090 bed nights (803 x 30 days average length of stay = 24,090).
- Samaritan House clients have lived in Flathead County an average of 5 years, they are local people, neighbors, relatives and co-workers.
- Moving services to the Samaritan House Administrative Center will provide for space to create additional beds at the original shelter location. This will directly help us more adequately address the growing issue of homelessness in Flathead County.
- The Conditional Use Permit for this plan will state that Samaritan House is requesting "Homeless Shelter" simply because that is the category title. There are no beds requested in the application. The facility will also not be a "day shelter" or "hang out". Samaritan House is requesting homeless shelter with the restriction that there be no beds at the facility. "Homeless Shelter" with no shelter aspect.
