DONATE

Montana 2-1-1 connects you with the community services, need help?  Call 211 or visit www.montana211.org

DONATE
DONATE

Montana 2-1-1 connects you with the community services, need help?  Call 211 or visit www.montana211.org

Our Work

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We break down barriers for the local nonprofits, local government, and businesses in our community. We provide the opportunity for people to work together to achieve more than any single person or organization can do alone.
We partner with many agencies to tackle instability in our community

Our Community Impact Programs

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UNITED WAY

 HOUSING FIRST HELENA

United Way of the Lewis and Clark Area is partnering with agencies tackling housing instability in our community by hosting the Helena Coordinated Entry System and Front Door Network. United Way hosts a coordinated community-wide system that connects unsheltered and unstably housed persons with the resources and agencies to ensure long-term, safe, stable housing.

Backpacks for the Homeless - The Story

This year’s Point in Time Survey, conducted in late January, indicates there are 164 unsheltered neighbors currently residing in Helena. We see them daily and many of us ask, “What can we do?” At the United Way of Lewis & Clark Area we are devoting a significant amount of our time into collaborating, so we can answer this critical question. There are many complicated, upstream factors contributing to this local challenge. Issues like the affordable housing crisis, shortage of mental health and addiction counselors, and an economy that favors those with means and people who are housed. These are not small matters, but at the United Way, we are convening community leaders to address these matters because we believe the answers to Helena’s challenges lie right here, within our community. In Montana we take care of our neighbors!


One effort we are sponsoring this Summer on behalf of our unsheltered neighbors, is a donation ask from the community… “Backpacks for the Homeless” People can donate backpacks, funds, or specific items to fill the backpacks. We will accept donations in hopes of distributing backpacks in the fall through our nonprofit partners. You can go to the United Way website to see the list of items we are collecting. www.unitedwaylca.org

To quote one of our unsheltered neighbors, “I am always amazed at how generous people are in Helena, I grew up here, and when I lost my home, I didn’t want to leave, because I know people here will help people like me.”

Thank you for being good neighbors! Your friends at the United Way of Lewis & Clark Area.

Backpacks Flyer 1 →

The Statistics

Helena - HUD Point in Time Survey Results for the last 5 Years


2018 – 93


2019 – 119


2020 – 139*


2021 – 167*


2022 – 143


2023 – 164 (Helena- 13% increase since 2022)



* Covid years

Total Homeless in Montana in 2023: 2178 (28% increase)


Total Homeless in Montana in 2022: 1,585

Backpacks Flyer 2 →

Drop off donations at the United Way - 75 East Lyndale (the blue building with the faces) or you can contribute here on our DONATE page: CLICK HERE. online at: www.unitedwaylca.org For additional information or to join the team working toward a sustainable solution email: info@unitedwaylca.org

Point In Time Survey (PiT)

The Point in Time Survey is the annual count of our local unsheltered population under the guidance of the Federal HUD program. Local volunteers comb the community in pairs on the 4th Thursday evening in January every year to identify and interview our unsheltered neighbors. Additionally, there is a count of people staying in our local congregate living facilities, shelters, and group homes. This data is used to access federal and state funding for homeless community programs.


2023 Montana Point In Time Data




PiT - Annual Count Info (1/25/24)

WHEN – Thursday January 25th

    • Brief Training for “Counters” at 3PM at UWLCA

    • On site at stations from 4-7pm


WHERE – 4 Sites and a Late-Night Team

    • God’s Love /Our Place/Library-Anchor Park/Walmart Area

    • Late Shift will meet at UWLCA at 9pm and disperse across     

      town.


WHY - Every year HUD sponsors an annual census in every

    community to determine the number of unsheltered persons     

    that reside there. The results of these surveys affect the number

    of federal dollars available to assist with these issues locally.   

   

    More details


HOW - Volunteers will have access to the 25-question survey on

    their phones and iPads. An interview takes about 5 minutes.

    Volunteers will have socks, gloves, hats, etc. to thank people for

    participating.


TO VOLUNTEER

 

 Email Jeff Buscher at the United Way: jeff@unitedwaylca.org

 

*Be sure to include your phone number and where you would like

  to serve.


MORE INFORMATION

FUSE – Frequent Users of Systems Engagement

FUSE is a national model. Locally the FUSE team focuses on the most frequent users of emergency public and private health care, law enforcement, and social service programs. FUSE surrounds clients with stabilizing resources, leading to a more stable life and the use of less costly services in our community.


Learn More 



HRA: Helena Resource Advocates

HRA is a community meeting where nonprofits, businesses, service groups, or caring citizens can share information, discuss the needs of our community, and network with groups working toward similar goals. Each week this group shares updates via email much like a nonprofit community newsletter. There are over 120 people on the HRA information chain.

 Unsheltered Neighbors

Documents - informational, PiT Reports, Statistics, Stories, and more

Click on the buttons below to Download PDF information.

Montana Point In Time Data 

HTA Card Foldable 2023 

Homeless in Helena Data

What you can do to help

Next Steps

 

 MORE WAYS WE CAN HELP 

FREE TAX HELP

On-Line, walk-ins, or by appointment… Learn where to get help with your annual tax returns. In the past ten years, this program has returned roughly $10 million to Helena residents using all available tax credit options.

Tax Resources:

www.unitedway.org/myfreetaxes

www.MTRevenue.gov

www.irs.gov/filing/free-file-do-your-federal-taxes-for-free


2024 FREE TAX HELP FLYER (download)

VOLUNTEER HELENA

A one-stop-shop for all of your volunteer interests.

Want to volunteer? Find an opportunity HERE. Have a volunteer opportunity? Post it HERE. Open to all.



MONTANA 211

Montana 211 provides information and connects people to resources for non-emergency needs, via an easy to remember phone number – 211 – and a website www.montana211.org. A comprehensive guide to non-emergency resources in our area. You can call 211 or go to www.montana211.org


Voices of Hope - Our Local Call Center


Quarterly Community Drives

Seasonal projects or occasional local emergencies arise that we invite community members to donate resources as needed:


Summer - Backpacks for the Homeless
Fall - Day of Caring
Winter - Veterans Christmas Efforts

SINGLECARE (FORMERLY FAMILYWIZE) PRESCRIPTION $AVINGS

Providing prescription discounts and savings since 2009 in the Helena area. Singlecare has saved our community $922,000 in prescription costs. Download the app and find the cheapest way to buy your prescriptions at www.singlecare.com. This app is always free to use.


KIDS ART PROJECT

In coordination with 3rd – 5th Grade teachers across the area, the United Way sponsors the Annual Kids Art Project. Inspiring students to think about how they could make the world a better place. See this year’s winners below.


Collaborations

Lewis and Clark Suicide Prevention Coalition
Coalition Celebration Event
Hometown Helena
State Employee Charitable Giving Campaign (SECGC)
Elkhorn COAD
Emergency Food and Shelter Program
Housing Navigator
Community Health Improvement Plan
Human Services Task Force
Local Advisory Council
Local Emergency Planning Committee/Access and Functional Needs
Community Christmas Sharing
Veteran’s Stand-down
Longest Night
CONNECT
Help for Montana Parents -  text 406Parents to 274448
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