City Extends Emergency Winter Shelter through April

The City of Missoula’s Emergency Winter Shelter, operating at the Johnson Street Community Center because of COVID-19 conditions, will extend operation through April 30. The shelter will be open 8:00pm - 8:00am starting April 1 - April 30. The extension is made possible by funding offered by the Human Resource Council based in Missoula.

Staff from the Poverello Center, which is operating the shelter as the City’s contractor this winter, made the decision in view of the continuing pandemic. Infectious disease control measures have kept the Poverello Center homeless shelter on West Broadway operating at half-capacity. The extension will allow more time for shelter clients to obtain COVID-19 vaccinations and more time for staff to work with clients on their next steps.

This winter, the shelter has slept about 120 people per night and has served 450 individuals. During this time, the West Broadway Poverello Center has operated near capacity nightly.

You can watch a presentation by Poverello Center and City staff to learn more.