“I toured Watson’s Children Shelter last fall, and was impressed with the level of service and the quality of care given to some of the community’s most vulnerable children,” said Rehberg, who is Montana’s only congressional delegate with a seat on the Appropriations Committee.  “The Watson’s Children Shelter fills an unfortunate, but critical need in western Montana, and I’ll bring this request before the Appropriations Committee with a sense of urgency.”

            The $3.18 million, 8,300 square foot proposed facility would be constructed on 1.5 acres, include 16 bedrooms, and would virtually double Watson’s Children Shelter’s current capacity, allowing the shelter to provide emergency care services to more than 150 children annually.  The overall project costs, including vehicle purchases, reserve, endowment, contingency, and capital campaign funding, is over $5 million.  The shelter’s current facility, at 2901 Fort Missoula Road, can house 18 children, with the average length of stay around fifty days.  Last year, the shelter had to turn away 42 children.

           “It’s never easy to say ‘no, we don’t have room to take another child’”, said Albrecht, who was accompanied at the April 9 meeting by board member Jennifer Heggen.  “A new facility would allow the shelter to welcome more children who are in need of more than just a place to stay.  We appreciate Denny’s help in contending for our new building, and for our children,” she said.