Flathead Warming Center from Jeanne TurnerJudi Funk
From: Jeanne Turner <jeanne71152@gmail.com>
Sent: Sunday, May 19, 2024 9:57 PM
To: Kalispell Meetings Public Comment
Subject: EXTERNAL Flathead Warming Center
Good evening,
I would like to address some of the misconceptions that are being circulated about the Flathead
Warming Center. I have been a volunteer there since it first opened in the winter of 2019/2020. My
experience has been positive in so many ways, and I have never felt unsafe there. On the contrary, I have
found the guests to be helpful and polite to me. When we have had more guests than beds, I have seen
male guests give up their beds so that a female guest has a place to sleep. They have been grateful for
what help we can give.
Each guest is a person, just like each one of us. When we treat them with kindness & respect, they
respond in a like manner (as much as they can). Yes, there are people with mental illness and/or drug
addictions that keep them from earning a living. The solution is to have programs in place to help these
people recover (group homes, drug & alcohol rehab, etc.), not to close down a resource that is trying to
get help for them.
Another segment of the unhoused guests that we see are those whose income just won't cover the high
cost of rent. There are senior citizens and physically handicapped people who are on fixed incomes, and
as the cost of rent rises, their incomes just don't stretch that far. As well as offering a safe place to sleep
in the cold months, our staff works with them to find housing that they can afford.
One misconception seems to be that because we are a low -barrier shelter, there is no accountability
required from the guests. This is totally untrue. When guests arrive, they read & sign a contract which
lays out the rules for behavior, and the consequences for breaking the rules. Also, if a guest is there for
more than a week, they meet with a staff member who works with them to create a "roadmap" out of
homelessness. If the guests don't follow through on these steps, there are consequences. Because of
this, there are people who are now sober, working, and have their own places to live.
Finally, I would just like to say that we are all a work in progress. When people face challenges that they
can't overcome on their own, we should be willing to help them, not take away what help is available. It
could be us or one of our loved ones who is in need!
Thankyou,
Jeanne Turner
2215 Widgeon Ct.
Kalispell, MT 59901