FRIGID TEMPERATURES CAUSE CODE BLUE STATUS TO BE ACTIVATED AT HRDC’S WARMING CENTERS DESPITE FUNDING CHALLENGES

Community members who are unhoused are at high risk for exposure-related injury given the frigid temperatures that are plaguing Southwest Montana. Increasing colder temperatures are forecast in the coming days leading up to the holiday weekend. These extreme weather conditions include snow and a projected overnight low on Thursday in Bozeman of minus 31 degrees with similar conditions in Livingston. HRDC’s shelters’ designated Code Blue status will remain in place through 9:00 am on Saturday, December 24th.

Brian Guyer, HRDC’s Housing Director, issued the Code Blue designation yesterday for Bozeman’s Warming Center saying, “Keeping our shelter open during daytime hours is a very necessary, but costly action to take. While our emergency shelters are currently not funded to provide shelter services during the day, we are extremely concerned about our guests’ safety and can use all the support the community can provide to help us keep our doors open.” Guyer continued, “It is not well understood that our Warming Centers do not have funding for year-round, 24/7 operation. To be clear, the level of response we can provide to our community members needing shelter is directly tied to the level of support provided by our donors, and currently, round-the-clock services are not supported.”

HRDC recently announced a substantial donation received from the Bezos Day 1 Families Fund which was specifically designated to support two areas of need: (1) the construction of family- specific shelter space within Homeward Point at Community Commons, HRDC’s future shelter, and (2) the development of new programming. None of this new funding may be applied to current shelter operations.

“Between securing adequate operational funding and staff, we are challenged on a daily basis to serve community members who are struggling to find housing and who have nowhere else to turn,” added Jenna Huey, HRDC’s Emergency Shelter Services Manager. “Beyond all else, we believe everyone deserves a warm safe place to sleep at night and with the community’s help, we will be able to remain open during this period of severe weather so that people can come in out of the cold.”

With nine lives lost in the Bozeman area two years ago due to exposure-related causes, HRDC firmly believes the community not only deserves better, but can do better. Given the lengthy cold streak in place, additional financial support is immediately needed to ensure the safety of all

community members. Cash donations to the Bozeman and Livingston Warming Centers can be made online by visiting https://thehrdc.org/donate/ or can be submitted by mail to HRDC, c/o The Warming Center, 32 S. Tracy Avenue, Bozeman, MT 59715. In addition to cash donations, hand warmers, foot warmers, winter gloves, new winter socks, and winter hats are also welcomed at this time.