We are thrilled to share that United Way of Yellowstone County has been selected as a recipient of the 2023 Bezos Day 1 Families Fund Grant, in the amount of $2.5 million. We're one of the 38 nonprofits, and the first United Way, selected this year by an independent advisory group of homelessness experts for our efforts to move the needle on family homelessness in Yellowstone County.
We're grateful for the Day 1 Families Fund's support as we help more families experiencing homelessness regain safe, stable housing and achieve well-being.
Our mission is clear- to end family homelessness in Yellowstone County.
Many Hopes and Dreams to Strategically End Homelessness in Yellowstone County
Trust and Community Focus
United Way of Yellowstone County has built trust in our community as we tirelessly work to represent Yellowstone County's greatest needs, particularily around Crisis Stabilization.
Our organization has dedicated substantial resources to understand and address the needs of individuals and families experiencing homelessness. From this work, we focus on four key impact areas.
Diversion Fund (Project of Yellowstone County CoC): By funding programs, we identify families at risk of homelessness and divert them from homelessness or shelter entry.
Coordinated Entry System (Project of Yellowstone County CoC): Coordinated Entry includes diversion as an initial response, guiding families toward stable housing options before referring to other resources.
Fund Distribution: We provide funding to partner agencies for rental assistance and shelter, enabling quick rehousing.
Coalition Support: Our support for coalitions, like the Yellowstone County Continuum of Care, leads to programs and shelters that reconnect families with housing.
Coordinated Entry System: The Coordinated Entry System not only streamlines access but also unites agencies, offering families better access to various services.
Services: We fund programs that help families connect with essential services like childcare, employment, income assistance, education, healthcare, and behavioral healthcare.
Fund Distribution: Our grants support various programs, including family shelter and youth services, empower coalitions by addressing the immediate needs of families.
Coalition Support: We serve as the fiscal agent for programs within coalitions, ensuring these partnerships have the resources they need to make a lasting impact.
Support Us in Ending Family Homelessness
We are dedicated to magnifying the capacity of resourcefulness in our county and focusing on the areas mentioned above. Our goal is to represent the greatest needs of our community and be a catalyst for change.
Are you invested in ending family homelessness? We need your support and involvement to make a lasting impact. Together, we can create a brighter future for the families in Yellowstone County.
Community Involvement
UWYC will host a convening on Thursday December 14, 2023, from 10:00am-12:00 noon, at United Way of Yellowstone County 2173 Overland Avenue Billings, MT, where the public is invited to support local efforts and explore potential investments to consider.
We will be reaching out to the community to create a panel review committee, and we will keep you informed as we become more familiar with the next steps. Stay tuned for updates on our progress.
Click here to check out the recording of this event!
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Our goal is to represent the greatest needs of our community, we want your feedback
Recent Press Releases
Contact
Kim Lewis, President & CEO
406-272-8501
United Way of Yellowstone County Awarded $2.5 Million Bezos Day 1 Families Fund Grant to Help Montana Families Find Safe Shelter, Housing and Stability
Fund grants $117.55 million to 38 nonprofits across the U.S. making measurable progress on reducing family homelessness
BILLINGS, Mont. – (Nov. 21, 2023): United Way of Yellowstone County, the primary community-building organization in South Central Montana, today announced that it has received a $2.5 million grant from the Bezos Day 1 Families Fund—the largest gift in the organization’s history. This is the sixth round of annual Day 1 Families Fund grants, which recognize leading organizations doing compassionate, needle-moving work to help families experiencing homelessness secure housing and achieve stability.
“We are honored and grateful that the Bezos Day 1 Families Fund has recognized United Way of Yellowstone County’s value and impact on the community,” said Kim Lewis, president and CEO of United Way of Yellowstone County. “This grant illuminates an urgent spotlight on the housing crisis, particularly for working families. United Way is exploring the most effective ways to invest this game-changing support to reduce the number of people living in poverty in our community.”
This one-time, uniquely flexible grant will support United Way of Yellowstone County in serving as a critical lifeline to children and adults in families experiencing homelessness, who represent more than a quarter of the homeless population nationally. United Way of Yellowstone County plans to use its Day 1 Families Fund grant to divert families from homelessness, rehouse families quickly, increase access to services and empower coalitions.
United Way of Yellowstone County was selected as a Day 1 Families Fund grant recipient by a group of national advisors who are leading advocates and experts on homelessness and service provision. National advisors brought expertise on housing justice, advancing racial equity and helping programs employ resources effectively to assist families out of homelessness.
Over the past six years, the Day 1 Families Fund has provided 208 grants totaling more than $630 million to organizations around the country working on the frontlines to identify unsheltered families, help families regain housing and connect families experiencing homelessness to vital services. A selection of more than half of the Day 1 Families Fund grantees who received funding between 2018 through 2021 report that, to date, they have used their grants to divert more than 28,000 families from experiencing homelessness, connect more than 30,000 unsheltered families with safe shelter and help more than 75,000 families access the services they need.
This year, the Fund issued a total of $117.55 million in grants to 38 organizations. The Day 1 Families Fund has now granted this award to organizations in 48 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. New states this year include Arkansas, Vermont and Wyoming. The full list of awardees is available at bezosdayonefund.org/day1familiesfund.
Launched in 2018, the Bezos Day One Fund made a $2 billion commitment to focus on making meaningful and lasting impacts in two areas: funding existing nonprofits that help families experiencing homelessness, and creating a network of new, nonprofit tier-one preschools in low-income communities. The Bezos Day 1 Families Fund issues annual leadership awards to organizations and civic groups doing compassionate, needle-moving work to help families experiencing homelessness—including those who are unsheltered or staying in shelters—regain safe, stable housing and achieve well-being. The vision statement comes from the inspiring Mary’s Place in Seattle: no child sleeps outside. For more information, visit www.BezosDayOneFund.org/Day1FamiliesFund.
About Organization
United Way of Yellowstone County improves lives by mobilizing the caring power of the community by providing leadership to effectively mobilize people, financial, and strategic resources to improve people’s lives by identifying and addressing the community’s priority needs and providing solutions that achieve measurable results and sustained community change. https://www.unitedwayyellowstone.org/united-solve-homelessness
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PRESS RELEASE:
UNITED WAY OF YELLOWSTONE COUNTY RECEIVES $2.5 MILLION FOR FAMILY HOMELESSNESS
Billings, MT- (Nov. 21, 2023): United Way of Yellowstone County (UWYC) proudly announces a transformational $2.5 million grant from the Bezos Day 1 Families Fund, marking a historic moment in the organizations’ commitment to eradicating family homelessness in Yellowstone County. This award, the largest in United Way of Yellowstone County’s history, underscores the impactful work United Way does to address the urgent housing crisis and poverty-related issues in Yellowstone County. This grant establishes the UNITED TO SOLVE HOMELESSNESS initiative, and funds will be re-granted to support local efforts and interventions to end family homelessness.
A Vision for Change
This grant aligns with UWYC’s mission to be a beacon of hope for families experiencing homelessness—needing financial stabilization and affordable housing. President and CEO Kim Lewis expressed gratitude, stating, “This grant illuminates an urgent spotlight on the housing crisis, particularly for working families. United Way is exploring the most effective ways to invest this game-changing support to reduce the number of people living in poverty in our community.”
Strategic Goals to Solve Homelessness
UWYC’s comprehensive approach, UNITED TO SOLVE HOMELESSNESS, focuses on priorities:
1. Diversion: Identifying at-risk families and diverting them from homelessness and shelters.
2. Rehousing: Swiftly rehousing families to ensure stability.
3. Increase Access to Services: Improving access to critical support services.
4. Empower Coalitions: Strengthening collaborations to tackle homelessness collectively.
Looking Ahead
UWYC acknowledges the unique nature of this grant and is committed to leveraging it effectively to build sustainable solutions. UWYC will host a convening on Thursday December 14, 2023, from 10:00am-12:00noon, where the public is invited to support local efforts and explore potential investments to consider.
National Recognition for Local Impact
Selected by a group of national advisors well-versed in homelessness issues, the National Alliance to End Homelessness, UWYC’s impactful work was recognized among leading organizations in Montana as a trusted, action-oriented entity to steward this community investment. The Bezos Day 1 Families Fund grant empowers UWYC to be the spark to ignite all potential possibilities and honor all partners that work in the industry to expand these initiatives, divert more families from homelessness, and ensure rapid rehousing. This one-time grant will serve as a lifeline for families experiencing homelessness.
In the past year, UWYC has played a pivotal role in providing essential services:
- Managed funding for the Yellowstone County Continuum of Care to provide 2,850 shelter nights for 61 individuals in Winter 2022.
- Supported the successful housing of over 200 persons through the Coordinated Entry System.
- Provided funding to Family Service to support 281 families with rental and utility assistance.
- Provided funding to YWCA Billings to support their domestic violence shelter.
- Distributed an additional $240,000 to local agencies for emergency food and shelter programs.
Yellowstone County Facts on Homelessness
- High Need: Billings has the largest population of persons and families experiencing homelessness in Montana, with over 15% of the state’s homeless population. The Youth Risk Behavior Survey found almost 5% of students experiencing homelessness. This number continues to grow with an 81% increase from 2019 to 2021 according to the Homeless Management Information System.
- Overwhelmed Services: Many programs provide life-changing services but have long waiting lists and a lack of capacity to meet demand. For example, the local housing authority, HomeFront, has over 7,000 persons on their waiting list for housing vouchers. With funding, many of these programs could greatly increase impact.
- Great Potential: Widespread support for housing solutions is at a rare high. This includes support among agencies and coalitions as well as local government, businesses, and community members.
About UWYC: UWYC improves lives by mobilizing the caring power of the community by providing leadership to effectively mobilize people, financial, and strategic resources to improve people’s lives by identifying and addressing the community’s priority needs and providing solutions that achieve measurable results and sustained community change. For 62 years, United Way has supported the safety net for their community through services that stabilize those who are vulnerable and those who are unable to meet their basic needs. The supported and funded safety net includes food, housing, utility assistance, transportation, and immediate and short-term services focused on safety for those fleeing domestic violence or human trafficking, or for vulnerable populations. For more information, visit https://www.unitedwayyellowstone.org/united-solve-homelessness.
About Bezos Day One Fund: Launched in 2018, the Bezos Day One Fund made a $2 billion commitment to focus on making meaningful and lasting impacts in two areas: funding existing nonprofits that help families experiencing homelessness, and creating a network of new, nonprofit tier-one preschools in low-income communities. The Bezos Day 1 Families Fund issues annual leadership awards to organizations and civic groups doing compassionate, needle-moving work to help families experiencing homelessness—including those who are unsheltered or staying in shelters—regain safe, stable housing and achieve well-being. The vision statement comes from the inspiring Mary’s Place in Seattle: no child sleeps outside. For more information, visit www.BezosDayOneFund.org/Day1FamiliesFund.
Media Contact: Stephanie Brazill, Director of Community Relations
United Way of Yellowstone County
406.272.8510