Homeword

06/07/2026

We were honored to be mentioned in The Sun Journal 2026 Capstone Reporting Project, Big Sky High School's student newspaper, in a story highlighting a Missoula family’s journey to homeownership.

Thank you to the student journalists for choosing this important topic and helping shine a light on homebuying in Missoula. And congratulations to the family on achieving this milestone!

Read it here: https://bigskysunjournal.com/home/print-edition/

06/06/2026

Our HUD-Certified Counselors hear from our community members every day that it's getting harder and harder to keep up with the cost of owning a home. It is more important than ever to have the financial skills to stay ahead.

We are so excited to connect homeowners with free financial counseling and a matched saving program that will help get you a dollar-for-dollar match on the money you save up to $500.

Contact us to find out if your income qualifies you! Visit https://www.homeword.org/counseling for more info on how to reach us and get started today.

06/06/2026

If you live in Missoula, you have likely driven down Reserve Street—or perhaps walked or biked along the River Trail—past Orchard Gardens. With solar panels on the roofs of multi-family rental homes and farms and gardens woven throughout the property, this community shows what is possible when affordable housing, climate solutions and local agriculture combine to create a healthier, more vibrant community. 👉Read more in the Missoula Current:

Andi Armstrong writes, Although rising construction costs, supply chain challenges and higher interest rates have made many large-scale features more difficult to include in affordable housing developments today, sustainability remains a priority at our organization.

06/05/2026

Dreaming of buying a home? Start here.

Our next HUD-certified Get Ready for HomeOwnership class is online on June 16-18— and it’s designed to help you feel empowered and informed at every step of the homebuying journey.
This HUD-certified class gives you the tools and confidence to navigate the homebuying process like a pro.

💬 “I think everyone should take this class regardless of if they are ready to buy a home or not. My expectations are much more realistic and I don't feel lost/overwhelmed."

✅ Just $35 per person
✅ Includes free one-on-one homebuying coaching
✅ Perfect for first-time buyers or anyone who wants to feel more prepared

👉 Learn more and register: https://www.homeword.org/class/homebuyer-education

06/04/2026

Help us hit a home run for housing! Join us Friday, July 17, for Housing Night with the Missoula PaddleHeads.

🎟️ $5 TICKETS, raffle and specialty jersey auction details: https://www.homeword.org/housing-night

06/03/2026

Did you know Homeword has created 1,675 homes Montanans can afford and empowers nearly 1,000 people annually through our HomeOwnership Center education and counseling programs? On July 17, we're one of five incredible organizations featured at Housing Night with the . Meet the people behind the mission, enjoy a great game, bid on our specialty jersey and grab a raffle ticket.

Learn more about PaddleHeads Housing Night and get tickets: https://www.homeword.org/housing-night

06/03/2026

Today's a big milestone at Homeword! Karissa, our executive director, has been with us for 10 years! We asked our team to share a moment or project that really made Karissa shine, and one of the first responses was that is was too hard to narrow it down to just one.

Over the past decade, Karissa has helped guide Homeword through transition, growth, challenges and opportunities with a confident leadership that brings people together. From joining Homeword as operations and program director a decade ago to serving as interim executive director and now leading the organization as executive director, she has helped shape who we are today and where we're headed in the future.

What stands out most about Karissa isn't any single project, though there have been many. It's that she is our champion and a driving force behind the work we do. Whether advancing innovative housing solutions like The Cube @ 603, honoring the dignity of our neighbors through the Houseless Persons' Memorial or even taking on (dominating, really) a watermelon-eating contest for a good cause, Karissa shows up and puts in her all.

Happy work-iversary, Karissa! We're grateful for everything you've contributed to our organization and communities across Montana.

06/02/2026

Happy Pride Month! We're excited to announce that we will be joining the Missoula Organization of REALTORS to offer support for the LGBTQ+ community and homeownership resources during the Missoula Pride for the fifth year in a row! Find out more about Missoula Pride at https://www.missoula-pride.com/.

06/01/2026

June is National Homeownership Month, and we're joining in to raise awareness about the benefits of owning a home and the importance of making homeownership attainable for Montanans.

Each week, Alex, our homebuyer educator, will share practical tips that you can put into practice right away to get ready to buy a home. No matter where you are in your homebuyer journey, small steps can get you where you want to go.

Ready to learn more? Join our next Get Ready for HomeOwnership class and gain the tools, knowledge and confidence to move forward. 👉 https://www.homeword.org/class/homebuyer-education

05/30/2026

This month, our financial educator Chelsea led three financial workshops for residents at Missoula Housing Authority's Villagio Apartments, women in the YWCA Missoula Pathways program and staff at Missoula Interfaith Collaborative.

Participants built confidence and practical skills to take control of their finances through simple strategies for tracking spending, setting goals and creating budgets that work in real life.

For Chelsea, the experience was deeply personal. She shared that access to this kind of education years ago could have made a huge difference in her own life, which is why connecting with people facing those same challenges today means so much to her.

“Budgeting almost feels like a secret tool I want to share with the world,” she said. “So many of us were expected to understand money management without ever being taught the basics.”

We’re grateful to our community partners for helping make financial education more accessible in Missoula.