Horizon Fights Housing Instability in Missoula With $8,574 Donation

SPOKANE VALLEY, WA, May 11, 2026 – Horizon Credit Union awarded $8,574 to YWCA Missoula to help support families experiencing housing insecurity. To make the donation, Horizon obtained a Member Impact Fund grant from the Federal Home Loan Bank of Des Moines (FHLB Des Moines). This matching grant program turned Horizon’s $2,500 contribution into $8,574 by adding an additional $6,074.

This year’s grant was made in honor of Horizon’s former regional director Alita Billington. Alita served on the Missoula YWCA board for many years and was a dedicated advocate for the organization’s mission. She passed away in June 2025.

“This grant helps us support families at a critical moment and reinforces what community partnership can accomplish,” said Kathleen Makena, assistant vice president of community development. “At Horizon, giving back is part of who we are, and we’re grateful to work alongside YWCA Missoula to help families move toward stable housing.”

YWCA Missoula will use the $8,574 donation to support the organization’s Family Housing Center, an emergency shelter for houseless families. It’s run jointly with Family Promise of Missoula and provides safe and dignified shelter, case management and around-the-clock support services to at least 100 families annually. Families stay in private sleeping rooms with full bathrooms and have access to a shared kitchen and dining area, outdoor play space, children’s programs and therapeutic services. This kind of holistic support is essential for helping families move from crisis toward stable housing.