Open House on Wednesday, March 2nd

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.

Samaritan House Fourth Friday Lunch & Concert - John Dunnigan

John Dunnigan will be February's featured artist for the Samaritan House Fourth Friday Lunch & Concert Series. The event is a fundraiser for Samaritan House, a homeless shelter in Kalispell. The $10 ticket includes lunch,soup, salad, dessert and more...
John Dunnigan is a Musician, Songwriter, Entertainer, Baseball Coach, Pancake Maker, Lawn Mower and a very funny man.
He has been fortunate to play music for a living almost his entire life. Pick any stringed instrument and odds are he can pick it - guitar, banjo, pedal steel. He also blows a mean harp. For more about John you can visit his site here.
Here are the details about the event:
Who: John Dunnigan
What: Samaritan House Fourth Friday Lunch & Concert Series
Where: Samaritan House Admin Building
1110 2nd St West
Kalispell, MT 59901
(the former US Army Reserve Center on the corner of Meridian Rd & 2nd St., across the street from Peterson Elementary School.)
When: Friday, February 25th, Noon-1:30 pm.

Find John Dunnigan of Facebook here.

Find Samaritan House on Facebook here.

Christmas at the Shelter

(Santa visits the kids at Samaritan House)

(Pastor Dan Heskett of Northridge Lutheran Church delivers gifts from their Giving Tree)

(Rob Quist entertains the crowd at the fundraiser luncheon)

This is a very heartwarming time at Samaritan House. Several people, businesses and churches have given presents for our shelter guests. Everyone here will be getting presents directly because of the generosity of the community. Many of the children were not expecting much of a Christmas this year, much less a real Santa. When a child sees the words "From Santa" on a gift, it seems to give them hope.
Likewise for Samaritan House itself this is a very heartwarming time of year. Charitable donations are how Samaritan House is able to operate the homeless shelter throughout the year. Most of those charitable donations arrive in the last few weeks of the year. To make donating even more accessible we also offer online giving.

Samaritan House would like to express our heartfelt gratitude and deep appreciation for your continued support of the people that mean so much to us.

Merry Christmas!!

Merry Christmas!

Montana Homeless Person's Memorial Day is December 21st. This also happens to be the first day of winter - the longest night of the year. There will be a memorial service at noon in Helena Women's Park. Sherri Downing from the Montana Coalition for the Homeless has collected the names of Montana's friends and neighbors who have died this year while homeless. Last year, there were 28 names. The event lasts about an hour and is held outside so people can understand what some of our neighbors are trying to survive. It has been a quick start to the winter season this year. In fact, the Daily InterLake reported last week that precipitation for the year is 19.96 inches, 3.71 inches ahead of the long term average and 6.76 inches ahead of last year. I verified myself with the National Weather Service that this year has averaged 2.3 degrees colder than normal. Samaritan House staff have added beds wherever possible resulting in greater numbers of people served than we could have imagined for this year.

We are coming in to the holidays in need of your help. Charitable donations are down while demand for services are at an all-time high.

In your holiday giving would you please consider Samaritan House. Thank you.

A Home of Their Own

Kristi Albertson, a reporter for the Daily InterLake newspaper just did an article about a family that Samaritan House was recently privileged to help.

The article is called, "A Home of Their Own" and it follows this family through the shelter and on towards their move in day, the day they get a home of their own...

Rob Quist Concert & Lunch to Benefit Samaritan House

Samaritan House will be hosting Rob Quist for a lunchtime concert on Friday, December 10th, 12:00 pm (Noon). The event will be at the Samaritan House Administration Building - the former armor reserve building on Meridian Rd. The $10 admission will include lunch, all proceeds to benefit Samaritan House, the local homeless shelter.
Rob Quist, a rancher's son and native Montanan, is recognized as one of the West's best known songwriters, composers and main stage performers.
Samaritan House has been working to provide Montana hospitality to some of the community's most vulnerable citizens. The shelter is full and overflowing. Demand for services is at an all-time high due to the recent difficult economic scenario and exreme weather conditions.
Everyone is encouraged to come, have lunch and help support Samaritan House, a local homeless shelter.
Here are the details:
What: Rob Quist Concert & Lunch
When: Friday, December 10th at Noon
Where: Samaritan Hosue Admin Building
1110 2nd Street West
Kalispell, MT 59901
Cost: $10 includes lunch and concedrt
Directions: On the corner of Meridian Rd. and 2nd Street West - across the street from Peterson Elementary School.

Billy - Homeless in the Flathead