homelessness

Recent Posts

From Missoula, an in-the-trenches look at homelessness

Camp

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 →

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Gunter and Taylor: A life together on the streets

Homeless

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 →

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