We are extremely excited to share with you that MUD is poised for a growth spurt as it prepares to move two of its primary programs into a new home on Wyoming Street adjacent to Home Resource, a local building materials re-use facility.
   
      As you all know, we just celebrated MUD's 30th anniversary at the Garden Party on August 26th.    Enduring through times of hardship and change, we have always operated in the spirit of supporting people in becoming more self-reliant by sharing, in a community context.

 
      As part of MUD's mission, MUD established the Missoula Tool Library in 1997. Ten years later MUD launched the Missoula Truck Share. Since it began, the Missoula Tool Library has come to serve hundreds of members with over 980 tools and the Missoula Truck Share fleet has doubled to meet demand. Combined, the programs serve over 200 users annually – 70% of whom are low- to moderate- income members (by HUD guidelines). Both programs have outgrown their ability to fit within the setting of MUD’s Northside Residential Demonstration Site and would benefit greatly from increased visibility and accessibility, enabling them to serve hundreds more Montanans.

 
      In the fall of 2010, MUD was offered the opportunity to purchase land next to Home Resource, as part of a proposed “Sustainable Living Center” – a one-stop shopping destination for sustainable living resources which has been repeatedly endorsed by the City of Missoula. The MUD Board decided to move forward on this offer.

 
      The new and expanded Missoula Tool Library and Truck Share facility—located next to Home Resource and scheduled to open in July 2012 is aiming to use recycled shipping containers to house its Tool Library, and will utilize and showcase energy efficient technologies so visitors can learn how to implement these in their own homes.    If enough funding is raised, a straw bale main office demonstrating additional green technology will also be constructed.

 
      To date, MUD has secured $240,000 from individuals, foundations, and the City of Missoula (via a $96,000 Community Development Block Grant).   Our ultimate goal is to raise $450,000.  We will retain our Phillips Street property as a residential sustainable living demonstration site, and will continue to offer educational programs for adults and children there. 
     
       Please consider making a gift to this project!  You can view an architect’s rendering and learn more about the project by clicking here.     To make a gift you can click here, call the MUD office at 721-7513, or send a check to MUD at 629 Phillips Street, Missoula 59802.