True Story: a family story told by them

I got permission to share this personal story of one of Loads of Dignity's guests. Sadly, this family's story is the same for so many of our Bitterroot neighbors.

“We are a family of 6. Currently, 2 of our children live with us- our son is a senior in high school and works 5 days a week at a local restaurant, and our 13 yr. old daughter is in the 8th grade. We also have 2 older sons, ages 22 and 24. Both graduated from HHS, currently working out of state but come home as needed. We do not have any animals at this time. We had 2 cats

that we had to find new homes for when our living situation changed 18 months ago. We live in a 38 ft 5th wheel that we purchased for a low price because it had a few damages. We are currently on a friend’s property with full hookups but need to find another spot before winter sets in. We do not meet RV park requirements because of the repairs. Most RV parks in Hamilton do not allow skirting which is absolutely necessary during the winter to keep warm and prevent pipes from freezing. We are actively seeking a rental or decently priced property but have been unsuccessful as current prices do not accommodate the wages in Ravalli County. My husband is in construction, and I am in the medical field. We both have secondary education credentials, and we are still unable to afford the inflated housing costs. Well, we could but would have to choose between a home or feeding our family and gas to get to work. There seems to be a twisted misconception that because we purchased an RV, we now have no living expenses. This could be furthest from the truth!!! We are currently at about $1200 per month to function somewhat like a normal household. This does not include food, gas, etc. $1200 per month for a small spot to park with access to water, sewer, and electricity plus electricity usage and propane costs.”