In every season and in every part of Missoula, the Poverello Center stands as a steady and compassionate presence. For more than forty years, the center has been one of the most important forces in ensuring that no neighbor faces hunger, illness, or houselessness alone.
The work happening inside this building is practical and deeply human. It honors the idea that everyone deserves a safe place to rest, a warm meal, and support from people who care.
From daily meals and emergency beds to medical respite, outreach services, and housing support for veterans, the Poverello Center is a crucial part of Missoula’s safety net.
Its staff and volunteers help people stabilize during difficult times and move toward long-term recovery and independence. As our community navigates rising living costs and growing needs, the Pov continues to be a vital source of compassion and stability.
A Pathway to Stability for Anyone in Need
Emergency Shelter and Support Services
At 1110 West Broadway, individuals who need a safe place to stay can walk in and sign up for a bed. Check-in begins at 8:45 PM each night. While staying at the center, guests also receive support services that include toiletries, laundry, showers, phone and mail services, and help connecting with community resources. These services remove barriers and create a sense of dignity and safety during an uncertain time.
Nutritious Meals Served Every Day
The Poverello Center provides three hot meals daily, open to anyone. Meal times are:
• Breakfast from 6:00 to 7:30 AM
• Lunch from 11:30 AM to 1:00 PM
• Dinner from 5:00 to 6:30 PM
The center also offers sack lunches, which are helpful for workers or individuals on the move. A food pantry is available on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 5:30 to 7:00 PM. For many residents, these meals provide both nourishment and a sense of consistency during a challenging chapter of life.
Meeting Missoulians Where They Are
Homeless Outreach Team
The Homeless Outreach Team (HOT) brings support directly to those living outdoors. The team provides food, water, clothing, gear, and connection to essential services. The HOT line can also serve as a compassionate alternative to calling 911 for concerns involving unhoused neighbors. This reduces unnecessary emergency responses and helps people receive care that fits their situation.
Medical Respite Care
Healing without housing is almost impossible. The Poverello Center’s medical respite program offers private rooms and short-term recuperation for people recovering from surgery or medical conditions. These beds are available through referral and have already saved the community more than two million dollars in avoided emergency room visits. Most importantly, they give individuals the time and stability they need to heal with dignity.
Veteran Housing Programs
Missoula has a high number of veterans, and the Poverello Center plays an important role in supporting those who have served. Through the Veterans Shelter Program and the Housing Montana Heroes Initiative, veterans can access stable beds, meals, storage, transportation assistance, community rooms, and long-term transitional housing. These programs recognize that recovery and stability look different for everyone and that veterans often need specialized support.
Powered by Volunteers and Community Generosity
The Poverello Center was founded by Missoulians who saw neighbors struggling and refused to look away. That legacy continues today. Volunteers help prepare and serve meals, organize the food pantry, sort mail, assist the front desk, and support outreach efforts. The Pov also welcomes volunteer groups and offers a variety of daily and weekly shifts for individuals who want to make a difference.
Volunteer roles include:
• Kitchen support
• Meal serving
• Pantry distribution
• Homeless Outreach support
• Front desk assistance
• Clean and Care Collective
These volunteers bring warmth, encouragement, and human connection into every service the Pov offers.
How to Support the Poverello Center
Donate
Financial gifts help fund meals, shelter, outreach, and recovery programs. Even a small donation can create a meaningful impact during a crisis.
Website: https://thepoverellocenter.org/
Volunteer Your Time
Volunteers keep this organization running. Anyone with a few hours to give can help support essential daily operations. The Volunteer Portal makes it easy to sign up.
Organize a Supply Drive
The Pov always needs items such as toiletries, trash bags, warm clothing, socks, and cleaning supplies. Supply drives allow groups, workplaces, and neighborhoods to support the center together.
Help Spread Awareness
Sharing information about the Pov’s mission helps connect more people with services and strengthens our community’s collective response to homelessness.
A Stronger Missoula Begins With All of Us
The Poverello Center is more than a shelter or a meal provider. It is a place where people find compassion when they need it most and where hope is rebuilt through daily acts of service. Its staff, volunteers, donors, and community partners demonstrate what is possible when a city chooses to care.
Supporting the Pov means supporting our neighbors. It means believing in second chances. It means building a Missoula where everyone has a path toward stability and well-being.
That is the community we all deserve to live in.
