“Because of Junegrass, my family lives a more fulfilling life."

At the Junegrass Place Celebration in Kalispell, Nicole—single mom of three and proud resident at Junegrass Place—delivered a moving speech about how having a home she can afford has transformed her family’s life.

Her story is a powerful reminder of what’s possible when communities come together to create homes that empower working families.

For a long time, Leah Zamesnik wasn’t sure if she’d ever be able to put down roots.

“My dad was in the navy, so I grew up moving every two to three years,” said Leah. “I was living in Jackson, Wyoming, after college and got priced out.”

In 2020, Leah was working a professional job and two side jobs just to afford her rent there and decided she just couldn’t do it anymore. She and Hamish, her “ranch reject” who preferred being a family dog to herding livestock, moved to Missoula for a fresh start. The pieces seemed to fall into place, and she quickly felt at home.

For the first time in her life, Amy Dockery has a credit score she’s proud of and savings accounts that give her peace of mind.

“I have a good credit score now,” said Amy. “I think it’s around 780 or 790. Paying off my debt when my mama passed away helped a lot—and being religious about not using my credit cards.”

Like many, Amy had a basic understanding of personal finance, but expanding that knowledge with solid budgeting skills and putting it into practice was a challenge.

My name is Keaton, and I’m a fundraising and communications intern at Homeword this summer. As a business marketing student at the University of Montana, with interests in entertainment management and digital design, I’ve learned how what I’m being taught in the classroom can be applied in a nonprofit setting at Homeword and contribute to their mission of creating safe, healthy homes and sustainable communities.

Katie and Larry Neskey share about their family's transition from a farming lifestyle in St. Ignatius to a new life in Butte, Montana. After nine years of farming, they realized it was time for a change—something that would better support their family, especially their two children who have special medical needs.

Homeword, in collaboration with HomeFront, is bringing much-needed affordable housing to Billings with its latest development, LB Lofts. This innovative multi-family rental community will provide 101 safe, healthy and affordable homes for local residents. Utilizing a hybrid modular construction approach—combining modular components with traditional stick-built framing—LB Lofts is designed to deliver high-quality housing efficiently and sustainably.

Taina Curry devoted herself to raising three daughters as a single mother, doing whatever it took to provide for her family. It was a constant financial struggle. But even as her children reached adulthood, stability remained out of reach.