Billings News

HUD renewal grant enables continuation of Billings transitional living program for homeless mothers

Posted: Jan 2, 2012 7:24 AM by Brittany Wooley- KTVQ News
Updated: Jan 2, 2012 7:41 AM

Harmony House Transitional Living Program

BILLINGS- The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has awarded $2,436,441 to 18 homeless programs in Montana.

Part of that grant will go toward a transitional living program for young, homeless mothers in the Billings area.

Jasia Big Head is a participant in the Harmony House transitional living program, and now, she is just days away from beginning her college education. That is just one of many steps the program has helped her take toward the life she hopes to give son.

"The staff helped me to learn more about college because I didn't have any idea what I was doing when I was learning about college and everything and trying to find a day care. They helped me financially try to figure out all of my resources and everything," Big Head said.

The program offers services including job training, health care, substance abuse treatment, and child care.

"They don't carry you through. They give you a head start and stuff. I'm learning how to cook on my own because I did not know how to cook at all...budgeting," Big Head explained.

Each woman is required to put in a minimum of 30 productive hours a week working, job searching, attending case management meetings, or going to school.

Harmony House has been in Billings for four years. It has the capacity to serve 10 women on site for 18 to 21 months with six months of after care.

"We support each other. One of the girls just now had a new born baby, and there are a lot of things that she didn't know about, and I helped her give her baby her first bath," Big Head said.

She said this support helps her work toward becoming more a more nurturing mom and self-sufficient woman.

The Human Resources Development Council (HRDC) was awarded $63,868 to continue the Billings program.