Annual service numbers: Shelter nights up 77% as demand for Haven’s services grows

Haven provided 77 percent more nights of shelter this past year than the year before, according to our annual service numbers.

Haven’s numbers, released every August at the end of our July-to-July fiscal year, show other significant increases over last year, including: 

• 23 percent more survivors served — an all-time high of 1,531

• 23 percent more calls to our 24-hour support line, compared to last year

Several factors explain these increases: First, Bozeman’s growth means more demand for shelter. One in five people will experience intimate partner violence in their lifetime, so a growing population means more survivors who need support.

Second, thanks to your support, Haven opened The Barnard Center in 2023. With more beds, a pet-friendly campus, and shelter for all genders, more people are eligible for shelter and support than ever before.

Third, Gallatin County – alone among Montana’s larger-population counties – is reporting more domestic violence-related crimes in the past four years. Since pandemic-era highs of these crimes in 2021, Missoula, Yellowstone, and other counties have seen declines in domestic-violence crimes. Gallatin County has reported a 17 percent increase. 

We’re meeting this moment thanks to you. With demand for Haven’s services at an all-time high, your support means that survivors in Gallatin Valley can talk with an advocate on our support line, explore options, and know that they’re not alone. Thank you for standing with survivors.