BILLINGS — Dozens gathered at the Yellowstone County Courthouse lawn on Friday for the annual Homeless Persons’ Memorial Day vigil to honor those who have lost their lives while without shelter.
Each year, Riverstone Health's Healthcare for the Homeless program, which serves about 2,000 people in Yellowstone County, honors their memory on the eve of the winter solstice.
“The winter solstice for most of us is the shortest day of the year, but for people who are living on the streets and experiencing homelessness, it's the longest night," said Megan Littlefield, chief medical officer at Riverstone Health.
The vigil is an opportunity to pause and remember the lives lost in Billings due to homelessness. Many community members paid tribute to those who passed away on the streets in 2024.
“Our agency knows of four people who have passed away this past year while being unhoused," said Littlefield. "We know that that is a gross underestimate of the true number of people who have lost their lives while they were homeless over the last year.”
Several speakers addressed the crowd about the problems the unhoused population faces and what needs to be addressed. Mayor Bill Cole read his proclamation marking Dec. 21 as Homeless Persons' Memorial Day in Billings.
"In remembering those who have died on the streets, the cause of ending homelessness is kept urgent, as is the country's collective commitment to preventing such deaths in the future," said Cole to the crowd.
Both those who have experienced homelessness themselves and others who wanted to offer their support attended. Everyone was given a candle and could write the names of those they wanted to remember in chalk.
“It's really sad that some people don't make it and I'm blessed that I made it because I could have lost my mind. I’m 59,” said attendee Leona Price.
Price has been living out of her car after recently fleeing a bad living situation in Butte. She came to Billings for help.
“I'm a good citizen, and I can't defend myself in these streets. I am not a street woman, so St. Vincent de Paul they check on me and make sure I'm okay,” said Price.
She has gone without her much-needed medical equipment, a situation she never wanted to find herself in.
“Of course I'm embarrassed, but what could I do but just get right and keep it moving,” said Price.
Homelessness can affect anyone, and RiverStone Health is working to eliminate the stigma surrounding it.
“It comes with so many different faces, and it's really easy to ignore the issue as not your problem. People who are experiencing homelessness, they are neighbors," said Littlefield.
The vigil is not only a time to remember those who have passed but also a reminder of the pressing need to address the ongoing crisis of homelessness in Billings and across Montana. In the Point in Time 2024 count, the Montana Continuum of Care Coalition estimated that there are 2008 homeless people in Montana, with Billings representing 13.6% of that population. They counted 273 living without shelter in the city, but that number often fluctuates.
For Price and so many others, homelessness is more than a statistic, but an ongoing struggle. While many local agencies work hard to meet those needs, there is still a long way to go when it comes to addressing and finding a solution to this systemic problem.
“We are partnering with a number of other organizations in town that are looking at ways to expand our low-barrier shelter options," said Littlefield. "There are a number of other services that we continue to need to identify and expand to be able to serve people who are unhoused in a variety of ways.”
