Lewiston, ID- Homes of Hope is a Christian non-profit that dedicates itself to providing tools and mentoring families who are impacted by the foster care system. This includes preventing children from falling into foster care by recruiting, training, and mentoring biological, foster, and adoptive caregivers. The ultimate goal is to provide children a home where they can be successful despite the obstacles that have occurred in their lives.
Homes of Hope works hard to help as many families as they can. This is why the current outreach is LC Valley, Idaho, Clearwater, Latah, Lewis, and Nez Perce Counties, the Nez Perce Tribe, and Asotin, Garfield, and Whitman Counties in Washington as well.
You can become a superhero..Yes You!
Homes of Hope has a passionate group of volunteers that invite anyone who wants to make a change to join. Their passion to help others speaks volumes whenever they talk about their mission. They emphasized that children are their main focus and that every child is worthy of feeling safe and supported. This non-profit is an important support for families in the LC Valley and the surrounding areas, yet many are not aware of its existence. This article hopes to serve as a bridge to connect community members to this organization. For those that need it, to know that it is here to support. For those who want to help, also know that you are needed to amplify the positive change. All skills are welcomed! From marketing, quilting, coaching skills, etc. As member Pat Showers reiterates “Everyone can help somehow!”.
Cheryl Allman, the Interim Executive Director for Homes of Hope recalled an anecdote that shows the power of helping kids feel valued. Allman says that there is a stereotype of foster kids with the black garbage bags who carry their belongings moving from house to house. She and the other members did not want that to affect how children view their self worth. This is why they have backpack drives each year so that these children can have the things needed to succeed in school including clothing. The children are given new outfits inside the backpacks and Allman believes this is important because as she said: “Foster kids are worthy of new things”. This organization helps give children confidence and helps them see their self worth that often is impacted by their hardships in life.
These children are grateful for the help they receive and have a lot of love to give. Allman also told the story of a twelve year old boy who received a new pair of VANS shoes for the first time. He had been in foster care for a while and was so happy upon receiving the pair of shoes that he cried. This was the first time in a while he had felt special and worthy of something new. He could wear them to school like all the other kids did. Something simple can make a significant impact in a child’s life. Despite all the hardships in their lives, children associated with the foster care system are still forming into who they are going to be in the future. Homes of hope are there to make sure they see how important they are and encourage them to be great so in they future they become heroes themselves.
Other Services that Home of Hope provides:
Hope Room:
Homes of Hope has a selection of clothing, beds, cribs, books, toys, car seats, baby essentials, etc. Biological, foster, and adoptive families are free to use what is needed without no charge to them.
Special Training:
Change can not happen unless the root is fixed, this is why Homes of Hope offers special training at no cost to families. There are Parent classes, special training to help with parenting practices, and other training that focus on providing safety in the relationship between child and parents.
Support and Counseling: Monthly support groups for both children and parents
Scholarships: Homes of Hope also donates and invests in things that will benefit the children such as community sports, music lesions, dance lessons, 4H, etc.
Contact Info:
http://www.HomesofHopeIDWA.org/
(208) 413-6770
Check out some of our Heros! Girl Scouts donated some of their earnings from sales, Gentleman repair some bikes for the kids!, and we had an amazing quilter who donated her artwork.
