East Idaho Moms is excited to feature the Idaho Foster & Adoptive Parent Association as our nonprofit for September 2022. Eastern Idaho is fortunate to have a wealth of nonprofit and service organizations. By highlighting some of these groups, we hope to encourage moms and families to get involved and learn about all that our wonderful community has to offer.
The Idaho Foster & Adoptive Parent Association, Inc (IDFAPA) is a non-profit corporation whose mission is to “facilitate and improve care for foster and adoptive children and their families in the state of Idaho.” IDFAPA became an official nonprofit in 2018, with recent substantial growth in board members and committees. IDFAPA serves children in foster care throughout the state of Idaho. It runs a Foster Care Closet (The Village) in Southeast Idaho and supports other closets that are run in different locations across the state.
[easy-image-collage id=17245]
The Village sees an average of 80 to 100 children per month, providing them with a suitcase or duffle bag full of clothing, books, blankets, hygiene items, and more. These items are donated by people and businesses. IDFAPA also provides resources to foster families, including help with Christmas to make sure no child is forgotten. Seasonal items, such as bicycles and winter coats, are also donated. In addition to these services, IDFAPA educates the community through awareness and opportunities to donate or become involved in its work.
IDFAPA hosts an annual back-to-school event in Southeast Idaho, as well as an annual statewide lemonade stand to raise awareness and funds in the month of July. It assists different regions in the state with various requests to help with events or specific needs of a child. In the Idaho Falls area, IDFAPA partners with Fostering Idaho when there is a foster family event. IDFAPA is currently running a capital campaign throughout the state of Idaho, with the goal of finding a facility large enough to host The Village, the IDFAPA headquarters, training, and events for foster families and youth.
IDFAPA understands “the trauma our children are experiencing and hope(s) to minimize some of the stress that comes with that by providing them with many of the things that they need. We cannot fix the situation they are in but can help with the healing process. (Our) goal is to help these children feel loved and that there are people out there who really care about them.” Information on the Idaho Foster & Adoptive Parent Association can be found on their Facebook page, on Instagram @idahofapa, on Tik Tok at thevillage_fostercare, or at IDFAPA.org. Direct contact can be made with IDFAPA’s President and Director of The Village, Jacque Burt, by email at Idahofapa@gmail.com or by phone at 208-569-6298.
[easy-image-collage id=17246]
