Warming shelter opens in Livingston amid frigid Montana winter
HRDC, along with members of the Livingston Community Resource Collaborative (CRC) group, are now welcoming guests at the Livingston Warming Center, located at 119 S 2nd St. The Center will provide a warm, safe place for people seeking shelter to sleep.
Livingston’s Warming Center is a pilot program that will operate through April. The pilot will give the group data regarding the number of people in need of emergency shelter in the Livingston community.
Ahead of its opening on Feb. 1st, HRDC Housing Director Shari Eslinger said, “We know of five individuals that would use the shelter tonight and from what we and our community partners are experiencing we know this is a crucial need.
“This is an opportunity to explore a long-term solution to emergency housing in Livingston and immediately prevent neighbors from freezing in their cars or driving the pass to Bozeman for shelter,” she added.
Due to a lack of funding, staffing and volunteers, the Center will be operating only Friday through Monday from 7pm–7am initially. Guests may check in each evening until 11 pm. The Center has capacity for 15 guests. Many supplies for operations have already been generously donated by community members with ongoing efforts by Livingston Health Care, Community Health Partners, Park County Senior Center and local congregations.
Donations and volunteers are still needed. To learn more about how you can help, please visit www.thehrdc.org. HRDC is a non-profit Community Action Agency. •