My name is Travis Mateer and for the past seven years I’ve worked at the Poverello Center, an emergency shelter and soup kitchen in Missoula. When I started at “the Pov” in 2008, our nation’s economy wasn’t doing so well. The unsound lending practices of the big banks resulted in a housing bubble that caused significant economic misery when it burst. Ripple effects, like a decreased demand for timber, closed local mills and put people out of work. Shelters across the country struggled to meet the increased need. Continue Reading →
homelessness
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Gunter and Taylor: A life together on the streets
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Gunter Rodrigues and Taylor Trowbridge are tucked into the recessed entryway of a vacant building at Montana Avenue and North 28th Street. If you’re used to sleeping on the streets, this isn’t a bad place to be. The entryway is a long rectangle, maybe 15 feet long and 6 feet wide, with brick walls on two sides to stop the wind. Over the concrete there is a strip of well-worn outdoor carpet, a sliver of warmth and comfort. (more…) Continue Reading →