The Dog, the Bike, and the Learner

What if your best friend was not a human. Now, relax... I'm not conjecturing about space aliens or that imaginary 'significant other' fabricated so your mother stops pestering you at holiday get togethers. What if your best friend was your pet? Animals can fill various needs in our lives that other people sometimes can't. Some pets are companions while others help us in a more functional role by assisting as service animals we depend on for more than mere company. They are a necessary part of our daily routine.

What happens if your pet needs services but you can't afford them? The helplessness and guilt that accompanies every stroke of the fur or refilling of the food bowl. You care for something  but can't provide for its well-being?

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You need to pay your utility bill. Your rent is due. You need groceries.

All of these factors depend on financial resources. Most people want to work and feel the sense of pride and accomplishment attached to having meaningful employment. An important aspect of having a job is having the ability to get to that job on time. Forget the car; you haven't been able to afford the insurance and gas prices and the cost for a new transmission. It's been parked on the side of the street like a monument to frustration.

You've been relying on your bicycle but it has two stripped gears and needs a rear tire. You will be walking the 3 miles to work until this situation can be remedied.

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It's the box you dread the most. A simple "yes" or "no" that weighs on you and robs you of your dignity as well as economic opportunities. Have you graduated high school?

Close to 9% of Montanans have no high school diploma. For a myriad of reasons, people drop out or choose not to finish and are labeled on every application they fill out. Forget going to college. It's difficult to find sustainable employment with a high school diploma, so the odds of finding a job paying more than minimum wage without one is Herculean. Education is important and attaining a GED can be the beginning of a path that enables someone to create a better life for themselves and those they love.

Project Homeless Connect is honored to provided pet services, bicycle repair, and education services. We believe these are critical in partnering with those who are trying to improve their situations.