KALISPELL — Executive Director of the Sparrow's Nest Jerramy Dear-Rue tells MTN News that the Sparrow's Nest is one of the state's only centers for unaccompanied homeless youths.
Just last year, the Sparrow's Nest was able to open a brand new, community funded facility in Kalispell. Dear-Ruel says the new facility has eight bedrooms, six bathrooms and a common space for teens.
He added that most students he sees needing the Sparrow's Nest's resources either age out of the foster care system or come from an unstable home.
There are rules if you want to stay in the Sparrow's Nest house; students who use their services most come with recommendations, be enrolled in high school and be substance free.
Dear-Rue explained that high school students stay as long as they need, until they graduate. Then upon graduation, students have a 90 day transition period where they're provided with resources helping them succeed.
Dear-Ruel says the new location in Kalispell allows the program to have a wider reach for students in need.
"We're able to take in Bigfork students for the first time. Which we're able to serve the entire valley now, Columbia Falls, Kalispell, Whitefish, Bigfork," said Dear-Ruel.
Dear-Ruel tells MTN News the facility is crucial in the colder months as winter can be fatal for the homeless in Montana.
