BILLINGS— Montana Rescue Mission (MRM) is expanding its emergency shelter, a project the nonprofit’s leaders say they hope to finish before winter begins.
The expansion will create 35 beds, which bring the emergency shelter to 92 beds total.
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The $1.7 million project has raised approximately $365,000 through private grants, according to MRM Executive Director Dyann Romeijn.
“I am so excited to be able to expand,” said Romeijn. “To see people still stuck on the street and not able to get in is heartbreaking when you actually know them and you know their names and you care about them.”
A large cost of the project is creating ventilation in the room that will hold the beds, which used to be a wood shop.
“That's a big expense. That is about $350,000 alone,” said Romeijn. "It'll kind of increase that circulation and help out in that emergency shelter. It keeps it a lot safer."
Montana legislators and local elected officials attended tours of MRM Tuesday afternoon.
They saw the room for the emergency shelter expansion, the existing recovery program shelter, and the new RiverStone Health clinic, added to the building in February.
The clinic is a part of RiverStone Health’s Healthcare for Homeless program, which offers care at little to no cost.
Riverstone Health President and CEO Jon Forte told MTN the program served 1,900 people last year. The program has already served 1,800 people this year, which Forte credits to the new clinic at MRM.
“The staff here has gained the trust of folks,” said Forte during a tour of the clinic. “Being here is helping us to work better together and build trust back in the community and provide a resource that this community needs.”
“I'm really surprised and very happy to see this campus the way it's turned out,” said Democratic Montana state Rep. Denise Joy of Billings. “This is something that is important to my constituents and it's important to the City of Billings.”
Residents at the MRM shelter also expressed gratitude for the growing shelter and services.
“Since they've gotten rid of some of the old management and brought in some of the newer management and the renovations, you know, it's pretty stellar,” said Christopher Badia, who is in the MRM recovery program.
These are some of the first steps MRM is making toward the future, following an internal investigation that led to the termination of former executive director Matt Lundgren last September.
Related: Montana Rescue Mission leadership overhaul continues amid internal investigation
The nonprofit is also facing a civil lawsuit, after a former employee was accused of sexual abuse. MRM was named in the lawsuit and Romeijn told MTN it is still under investigation.
MRM leaders told MTN they are focused on building a better future.
“I'm most excited for the shelter guests that we serve. Just seeing the change… it's very positive,” said Chief Operations Officer Max French.
“It's really just making sure that we're getting back to the things that are important to homelessness,” said Romeijn.
