Avenues for Hope Housing Challenge in Idaho
The Avenues for Hope Housing Challenge is happening from 8 a.m. Dec. 10 until 11:59 p.m. Dec. 31.
Nonprofit housing organizations statewide are asking for your donation to help fight homelessness.
NeighborWorks Pocatello was earned the top amount of dollars for the entire state in 2013. That gave them a total of $37,000 to use to put folks in homes and keep them there. People like Michael and Lauren Alvord.
“We were in a two bedroom, one bathroom apartment that was very small for us and for our kids, and we wanted to upgrade,” said Lauren. “We’re very happy to be here.”
The couple says NeighborWorks Pocatello helped them get into their first home and have stayed close to answer any questions. NeighborWorks Pocatello executive director Mark Dahlquist said they have helped the Alvords and many more, because of donations through fundraisers like the Avenues for Hope Housing Challenge.
“It’s a pretty manageable donation, but $25 can really, really give us a lot of bang for our buck,” Dahlquist said.
But NeighborWorks Pocatello isn’t the only organization that’s participating in the fundraiser. There’s also The SouthEastern Idaho Community Action Agency, or SEICAA and Aid for Friends. Overall there are 12 different nonprofit agencies in Southeastern Idaho looking for your $25 donation, but they can turn that $25 into more.
“For every $1 we receive through the online campaign,” said Dahlquist, “we can turn that into $2.50.”
“Anybody can donate to a charity,” Lauren said. “But people need a place to live and a roof over their head.”
The agencies participating in the Southeast Idaho area are: Aid for Friends, Inc.; Bannock Youth Foundation; Blaine County Housing Authority; CLUB, Inc.; Family Services Alliance; Idaho Falls Rescue Mission; Jubilee House, Inc.; Lemhi County Crisis Intervention/The Mahoney House; Mini-Cassia Shelter; NeighborWorks Pocatello; South Central Community Action Partnership; SouthEastern Idaho Community Action Agency.
To donate to an agency, a minimum of $25 is required. The website to donate is avenuesforhope.org.
Last year, all agencies in Idaho received $233,000. That was double the amount received in 2013.
