The Montana Rescue Mission (MRM) will offer a sneak peek of renovations later this week.
The emergency shelter and low-income apartments will be ready to show the public.
The $21 million unified campus project includes remodeling the whole building and also the building next door, which used to be Granny's Attic, to have more places for people to stay.
There is a playground for children and another building that will have a chapel, along with tools for people to work on some of their skills.
This will be an nclosed campus that will keep people safe and secure on their journeys.
For the Rev. Matt Lundgren, this is faith in action and proof that prayers really are answered.
“It's really a miracle every day,” said Lundgren, MRM executive director.
And on this day, he's showing off the entrance to the remodeled campus.
The old building was about 25,000 square feet and will expand to 100,000 square feet.
“As far as what the mission has done to me, it changed my life,” said David Campbell. “It's just a good place to start over and get things figured out.”
For Campbell, now a case manager at the rescue mission, this is more than just a home and he's not alone.
“It's a blessing being able to start all over again and being sober and having the opportunity,” said Sandra Plenty Hawk.
Plenty Hawk made the decision to go through the program because the rescue mission helped her sister.
“I've come a long way,” said said Tamryn Bellrock, Plenty Hawk's sister. “I am really, truly blessed. Rather have the struggles I have today than last year's struggles.”
Not only will the new space include an emergency shelter and a long-term program for recovery it will also include 29 affordable housing apartments.
“We're bringing people up,” said Don Sterhan, C.R. Builders, LLC president. “We're elevating their lifestyle. So let's do that all the way around. Let's have good quality materials.”
Sterhan handled the financing for the affordable housing.
“It's your home,” Sterhan said. “It's a statement piece. It gives you the confidence and the credibility, the pride in your home.”
“Picnic tables with patio umbrellas above them,” Lundgren said about the courtyard. “There'll be a stage in the corner where we'll have live music. We'll have outdoor worship services.”
The outdoor courtyard and the life change building will make it a 200,000-square-foot unified campus.
“The lounge, the childcare, the medical clinic, the chapel, vocational training, classroom, auto shop,” Lundgren said about what will be in the smaller building.
Steve Burger is an intern and will soon have a job in the rescue mission kitchen.
“People here, if you’ve got any problems, they're easy to talk to,” Burger said. “And they want to get you on your feet.”
“Touches your heart to be able to help people that are in need,” said Freddy Montolio, MRM head chef, who has been mentoring Burger. “It's a beautiful thing because he picks it up so well, so, so fast. I'm proud of him.”
It's a new facility doing much more than providing a bed and a roof over one's head. It's a unified approach that many hope makes major strides in ending homelessness.
"Through using all these tools on this unified campus, we're going to be able to do that for many people," Lundgren said. "Really for generations to come.”
The sneak peak is scheduled for Thursday, Aug. 1 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
