Whitefish Community Foundation has awarded $45,000 from the Community Emergency Response Fund to help Samaritan House accommodate the families and individuals displaced from the FairBridge Inn & Suites in Kalispell. Samaritan House is the Flathead Valley’s oldest shelter, providing a low barrier emergency shelter, case management services, transitional housing, and permanent housing for low-income individuals and families who are homeless.
Funding for the Community Emergency Response Fund comes from the Circle of Giving program and general donations to the Foundation.
Samaritan House expanded into an adjacent property in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, where beds can be installed on an emergency basis to address a community need. Executive Director Chris Krager and his team have re-opened this emergency shelter, and mobilized to offer these individuals a full complement of services, including shelter, food access, and case management.
The cost of operating this expansion is estimated at $30,000 per month, and it remains unclear how long it may be needed. The goal of this grant is to lessen the burden of fundraising so the teams at Samaritan House, Community Action Partnership of Northwest Montana, and the many individuals who have been working tirelessly to solve this crisis can focus on securing permanent housing for these individuals.
This project is in need of community support! If you are interested in donating, checks may be mailed to Samaritan House at the address below, or you may visit the website or blog to learn more and give via credit card.
Samaritan House
124 – 9th Avenue W
Kalispell, MT 59901
Phone: (406) 257-5801
Email: info@samaritanhousemt.com
Website: www.samaritanhousemt.com
Blog: www.homelessintheflathead.com