EBS STAFF
An annual tradition on the longest night of the year in Bozeman, the public is invited to attend a vigil to remember those who experienced homelessness and died in the past year. The memorial is intended to call attention to homelessness, especially during the winter months.
The vigil will take place at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 21, in front of Bozeman Public Library.
In 2023, eight unhoused people died in Bozeman, according to a press release from organizers including the Human Resources Development Council and Greater Gallatin Continuum of Care.
“It’s really important that we are setting the stage for folks to know that they are seen, they are important, and they are valued,” Jenna Huey, Bozeman’s HRDC emergency shelter services manager, stated in the release. “Having a memorial service like this is one of the ways we can bring that memory and bring that honor and dignity to folks who passed away in our community this year.”
People who are homeless face a life expectancy about 28 years shorter than those who are housed, the release stated. Bozeman is currently providing shelter to 75 people on a nightly basis between its Warming Center, Family Promise Shelter and a handful of hotels.
“That count does not include people staying in private shelters, sleeping on the street or being housed in a hotel with funds provided by Love, Inc.,” the release added.
The Homeless Persons’ Memorial Vigil is sponsored by the Greater Gallatin Continuum of Care with special thanks to HRDC, Dahl Funeral and Cremation Services, the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Bozeman, and the Bozeman Public Library Foundation, according to the release.
