Providing Services Today and Tomorrow

What do you think happens to folks that are priced out of the Treasure Valley housing market? As you’ve read in the paper recently, monthly rent has increased dramatically in recent months and some of our Family Strengthening participants cannot find affordable housing in Boise, Nampa, or Caldwell. As these prices increase, we see people moving into more rural areas —eventually leaving behind their community of support and the resources made available through easier transportation. In reaction, this isolation is breeding significant increases in cases of abuse and neglect. You’ve heard me say that Elmore County jumped up from 2-3 children per year to over 40 children last year alone…and that’s just one example.

Our attention must be pulled to the areas of greatest need. We have increased our efforts in our more rural counties and are focusing on recruiting more volunteer Guardians ad Litem in Elmore, Boise, and Valley Counties. The team has also started working with other agencies to provide more Family Strengthening programs in these disconnected communities. With your help, we can do more.

The Family Advocates Giving Society provides this infrastructure of support. By donating roughly $84 per month ($1,000 per year for 5 years), our 84 members allow our Family Strengthening team to work year-over-year to bring education, support, and resources to areas of greatest need. What could we do if you signed up to be a Giving Society Member? We would identify potential expansion in Cascade, Horseshoe Bend, Kuna, and Garden City. We would find creative collaborations that reduce our expenses and bring in more participants from other areas. The bottom line is…We would do more good!

Thank you to all of our current Giving Society Members for providing our backbone of support. You mean the world to hundreds of families in the Treasure Valley!

If you are interested in joining the Giving Society. Please call me at 208-345-3344 x1002, email me at jaime@familyadvocat.wpengine.com, or simply sign up on our website (www.familyadvocates.org).