The OPA is picking on the GFRM homeless shelters. People are in these shelters to restart their lives from the bottom. Yes, we have food donations from the community, but we aren’t able to be here 7 days a week to eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner. We’re not an institution. We are out there trying to get back on our feet. Not only did the OPA take away SNAP benefits from us, they’re making us pay it all back, putting each one of us in thousands of dollars of debt! And even worse, they can take up to 25% out of our paychecks.

Imagine hitting rock bottom and working tirelessly every day to rebuild your life, only to face further hurdles from the very institutions meant to protect and support you. This is the reality for residents at the Great Falls Rescue Mission (GFRM) in Great Falls, MT. The Office of Public Assistance (OPA) has decided to cut off access to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits for those living in homeless shelters.

The impact is devastating. SNAP benefits are crucial for us, providing much-needed relief and a chance at nourishing meals while we work towards stability. The community's generosity through food donations is immensely helpful, but it cannot replace the consistent support SNAP offers—especially when the majority of us are attending jobs, job interviews, training sessions, and taking steps towards self-sufficiency during the week. It’s not possible for donations to cover all of our special diets needed in order to maintain our physical and mental health. 

OPA's decision not only undermines our efforts to regain our independence but also threatens to plunge us further into financial despair. This is unfair and unjust, targeting people who are already in vulnerable situations and focusing on rebuilding their lives. Their own snap policy guidelines and federal policy specifically states that homeless shelters that feed the homeless are eligible for snap, as shelters that provide food are NOT Institutions. They apparently have found a way around this law and so far, have been getting away with it! 

We call on the OPA to reverse its decision and restore SNAP benefits for the residents of GFRM and other homeless shelters. In order to truly help people transition out of homelessness, consistent support systems must be in place. This includes access to food security through SNAP. The OPA has made a decision based on their OWN opinion that we are NOT a homeless shelter. Everyone locally, state wide and even federally recognizes us as a homeless shelter but the OPA says it doesn’t matter to them. They have unofficially declassified us as a homeless shelter specifically to cut off benefits for those who reside here, regardless if they have special diets or medical needs to abstain from certain foods such as myself!

Please help us by signing this petition. Every signature is a step toward convincing the OPA to change course and offer the support shelter residents genuinely need on their path to recovery and stability. Together, we can make a difference and stand up for those who are working hard to stand on their own two feet again.