BASIC NEEDS
Expand Access to Citizenship Education Classes: Community Council of Idaho – $25,623
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Community Council of Idaho expanded access to Citizenship Education Classes offered as part of the Familias Unidas immigration services program. Funds supported a specialized Paralegal/Case Manager to provide assimilation case management with a sensitivity to women who may be victims of domestic violence. The paralegal acted as a mentor and work with students individually to develop a legal plan for citizenship throughout surrounding areas including Canyon County, Owyhee County, and Payette County.
Housing Stabilization for Seniors, Veterans, and People with Disabilities via Critical Home Repairs: Boise Valley Habitat for Humanity – $23,354
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The Critical Homes Repair Program enables low-income seniors, veterans, and people living with disabilities to remain safely in their homes by providing home repairs, such as ramps and other minor projects. Funds support a fully outfitted work trailer that would operate as a mobile workshop, and a specialized ramp, railing materials, and tools necessary to fully complete outfitting the equipment needs of the program. The trailer and tools enabled them to serve up to 100 individuals/families per year and filled a critical gap for low-income individuals and families who would not be able to have these repairs done to their homes due to financial and/or physical limitations.
CULTURAL ARTS
Boise Rock School Venue Completion: Boise Rock School – $30,000
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Boise Rock School completed the last portion of their new building remodel, transforming a 2,500 square foot storage space into an all-ages venue. Boise does not currently have a dedicated all-ages arts venue and Boise Rock School believes this type of space empowers youth by giving them a venue for sharing their art, increasing exposure to various art forms, and allowing the opportunity to be directly involved in the curation/operations of a performing arts space. The space also is available for use by other local cultural arts organizations. Funds will support construction costs including drywall, painting, flooring, electrical, plumbing, and installation of a garage door.
EDUCATION
Canyon County Youth Empowerment: Breaking Chains Academy of Development – $20,000
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Breaking Chains Academy of Development provided at-risk youth and their families in Canyon County with the tools and resources needed to deter them from criminal and gang activity, helping them successfully transition into adulthood through the implementation of prevention and educational services. Funds supported educational services and mentoring activities including student exam costs, diploma fees, student breakfast/lunch expenses, male/female hygiene products, recreational expenses, and mentoring expenses.
Outdoor Education STEM Yurt Lab: Basin School District 72 – $30,000
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Basin School District 72 built a large yurt in the middle of the school’s 86 acres of forest to provide a STEM lab for their outdoor education program in Idaho City. The yurt provided a space to stage STEM equipment to run forestry, geology, botany, soil, snow, and water tests throughout the school year and summer camps for 1,000 students, 80 teachers, and numerous community members. Students grow salad greens for the salad bar, vegetables for the community garden, and plants for pollinators. Funds will be used to purchase a yurt kit.
ENVIRONMENT
Securing the Future of Agricultural Land in Southwest Idaho: American Farmland Trust – $27,960
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AFT conducted outreach and education for farmers, ranchers, and agricultural landowners about opportunities to protect their land from development and ensure it transfers to the next generation; deliver education and technical support for municipal government staff engaged in long-range planning about strategies to preserve agricultural land and economic viability through the planning process; and engage food consumers, rural residents, to build broad grassroots support and demand for agricultural protection. Funds covered staff time to plan, conduct outreach for, and host meetings and trainings with community partners and stakeholders; travel to the five target counties; supplies for at least five workshops and learning events with partners and stakeholders.
HEALTH
Cascade Medical Center Safe Room for Patients Experiencing Mental Health Crisis: Cascade Medical Center – $30,000
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Southwest Cascade Medical Center converted an existing patient room into a ‘safe room’ to house patients who come into the ER experiencing a mental health crisis. A ‘safe room’ minimizes the ability of patients to harm themselves or others, protecting patients’ well-being as well as the safety of the staff. CMC is the only medical provider serving an area of 2,800 square miles with demographics 36% older than the average Idaho community including many low-income patients. Funds supp/orted the cost of renovating an existing patient room into a safe room to protect the well-being of both patients and staff.
RURAL COMMUNITIES
No-Till Drill Equipment and Education for Small Acreage Landowners in Valley Soil and Water Conservation District and Neighboring Areas: Valley Soil and Water Conservation District – $23,746
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Valley Soil and Water Conservation District expanded the reach of this conservation program by purchasing a new smaller-sized no-till drill and a trailer to haul it. This benefits small acreage farms that might not have access to this type of conservation practice or knowledge of best management practices but are interested in becoming better stewards by improving the health of their land. Funds supported a small no-till drill, attachment hardware, and trailer to haul it. A no-till drill is a piece of farming equipment that is attached to a tractor and pulled through a field or an area to be seeded. The Drill allows a person to aerate the soil and seed simultaneously. It doesn’t disturb the topsoil and helps to maintain the root systems of existing plants. It will also be available for Adams County farm owners.
In 2023, including $4,000 in donations to ballot finalists,
IWCF invested nearly $218,000 in communities across Southwest Idaho