Groups offer crucial resources to homeless during winter months

The death of a man found in his van in the Kalispell Walmart parking lot last week has highlighted concerns about homeless people in the Flathead Valley trying to stay warm in freezing temperatures.

Local law enforcement officers believe David Martinez died of natural causes, perhaps related to diabetes, but they say exposure to the cold temperatures may also have played a factor in his death. Temperatures in Kalispell that night dipped into the single digits.

“Any time anyone has health concerns, adding physical stresses can make you more vulnerable,” Kalispell Police Department Investigations Captain Doug Overman said.

Local law enforcement officers said they come in contact with members of the homeless population often, and their survival in the cold weather is an issue.

“We are obviously concerned about people who are homeless and their safety in the cold, and we do what we can to assist them,” Flathead County Sheriff Chuck Curry told the Daily Inter Lake.

Curry and Overman said law enforcement officers often try to find temporary housing for people who need to get out of the weather, from referring them to local shelters, to trying to get someone a motel room for the night. There have even been instances when law enforcement has paid out of their own pocket to try to ensure the safety of people they have come in contact with, Overman reported.

“Trying to find people safe and secure housing to keep them out of the weather can be a challenge,” Overman said.

There are a handful of shelters in the area, including the Samaritan House, which provides room for up to 65 people.

“We also have hotel roll-away beds, so we don’t have to turn anybody away,” said Samaritan House Executive Director Chris Krager.

Krager is well aware of the dangers of trying to sleep in the cold.

“The nature of homelessness in Montana is that it can be fatal,” he said. “Samaritan House’s goal is to get everybody in and avoid those situations.”

Montana’s homeless population grew by 8 percent in 2017, according to an annual assessment report by Housing and Urban Development. According to the report, about 65 percent of homeless people stay in shelters and about 35 percent live on the streets. The statewide homeless count includes 387 people from Flathead, Lake, Lincoln and Sanders counties.

“Every day we hear from people in our community who are struggling with these issues,” said United Way Executive Director Sherry Stevens. “It breaks your heart.”

While the Flathead Valley community has come together to provide resources for individuals and families who are struggling, the need outweighs the services available, she said.

“I think we have a lot of people in our community who are struggling and the weather absolutely makes it worse,” she said.

Stevens reported there are about 60 people who have been willing to register with local service organizations, and they are in a conversation about how to meet their needs and try to make sure no one falls through the cracks.

Some homeless people choose not to seek public services. Local law enforcement officers said they struggle because some of the people they come in contact with are under the influence of drugs or alcohol, or may have mental-health issues.

Samaritan House is a drug- and alcohol-free shelter. Krager said staff wouldn’t immediately kick someone out, but they would have to get along with other people at the shelter to be able to stay. Samaritan House staff can also give referrals to people who are struggling with substance abuse or mental-health issues and connect them with other resources in the community, he said.

The Samaritan House also has access to help people find jobs. The Job Service provides a list of current openings to the shelter. They have a community bulletin board and staff on-site to help with resumes.

Samaritan House worked with community volunteers to serve 34,860 meals to 1,350 people last year, including nearly 200 families and 225 veterans. Veterans make up a significant portion of the homeless being served at Samaritan House. Their veteran’s program is dedicated to assisting homeless veterans by providing resources allowing them access to physical and mental health checkups. Gary Rhodes, a 66-year-old veteran who served in the Air Force is a Samaritan House resident. Rhodes was born and raised in the Flathead Valley, and said he heard about the shelter through word of mouth. He said he’s thankful for the services Samaritan House provides, including helping him retrieve identifying documents he had lost, such as his birth certificate and military credentials, which will help him obtain housing and other services in the future.

While each case is different, homelessness could happen to almost anyone, local service providers said.

“Most people are just two or three paychecks away from becoming homeless, in our community and nationwide,” Stevens said.

“All it could take is an emergency ­— a traumatic car accident, major medical issue, or eviction — and suddenly you could find yourself homeless,” she said.

When people don’t know where to turn for help, they can call 211, a three-digit nationwide dialing number, to learn about services in our community.

There is also a Flathead Valley Resource Guide available online that includes contact information for a range of organizations throughout the area in the areas of housing, food, financial, disabilities, veterans, senior services and more.

To reach the Samaritan House, call 406-257-5801.

Reporter Breeana Laughlin can be reached at 758-4441 or blaughlin@dailyinterlake.com.