You know that feeling when you walk into someone's house and it just feels like home? That's exactly what happens the second you step into Adult & Teen Challenge in Missoula.
Coffee's brewing, something delicious is happening in the kitchen, and there's this buzz of activity as women chat while moving from room to room. Kids are playing with toys that actually look fun (not those sad, broken-down daycare leftovers), and there's this cozy little library with the kind of big, comfy chair that makes you want to grab your coffee and disappear into a good book for hours.
This sure doesn’t feel like a “rehab center.” This feels more like visiting your favorite aunt—the one whose house was always the safe place to land when life got messy.
Jo Winters gets this feeling better than anyone. She's now the Program Coordinator at Adult & Teen Challenge, but her story started in a very different place—on the streets, struggling with drug addiction. Today, she's helping run the very program that changed her life.
"I just love this ministry," she told me, and you can hear it in her voice. "My life changed so much that I want that for other people."
That's the thing about this place; it's not just about getting clean. It's about people who've been there, who know what it's like, and who've made it their mission to help others find the same hope they found.
Director Jamie Rindal shared some numbers with me that really hit home. Right now, they're helping 19 women and 3 children, but there are 5 more women on the waiting list. Five women who need help *now* but have to wait because there's literally no room.
That's why they're expanding, and in a big way. About a year ago, they bought the property right next door and they're in the middle of renovating their office space. Once that's done, they'll have room for 10 more women. The next phases? Twenty more beds plus safe, affordable housing for their staff.
How You Can Help (And Get Your Christmas Tree!)
Here's where it gets fun—they've got some creative ways to raise money for this expansion that actually benefit you too.
Starting November 22nd, you can buy your Christmas tree from their Trees for Hope lot located at Christian Life Center. You get a great tree and support an incredible cause.
Plus, have you seen their new Super Thrift store on West Broadway? It's HUGE, and every single thing you buy there helps fund their ministry. Win-win!
And of course, if you want to donate directly, just head to their website at Adult & Teen Challenge PacWest.
What really struck me during our conversation is that this isn't just about addiction recovery, it's about rebuilding entire lives. The fact that kids live here with their moms, that former participants like Jo become leaders, that the whole place feels like a family... that's intentional.
