Idaho Gives campaign reaches new record

SANDPOINT — Sandpoint-area residents are generous, as evidenced by the money contributed through Idaho Gives’ fund drive for the many nonprofits in Bonner and Boundary counties.

Instead of just one day, this year the fund drive, which ended at midnight Friday, May 8, was two weeks long. It was all online because of the pandemic, and had a record number of donors throughout the state—18,185. This was up by nearly 7,000 donators from last year, making for a record-breaking figure of $3.9 million; last year’s was $2 million, according to Amy Little, chief executive officer of Idaho Nonprofit Center, and former director of the Greater Sandpoint Chamber of Commerce.

These donations will help Sandpoint-area nonprofits continue with their respective goals of helping disabled adults, protecting the environment, rehabilitating injured wild animals, educating young people in outdoor skills training, and preserving the programs of North Idaho’s historic theaters, to name just a few.

Sandpoint Community Resource Center was in the top 50 of highest amounts given in the state; SCRC received $17,250, due to the hard work of its board members who “did a great job of utilizing their networks, and due to a matching grant” opportunity, said Linnis Jellinek, executive director of the resource center.

“There is an increased awareness of our presence in Sandpoint,” Jellinek said, and we can truly say we are seen as the hub for resource information, because the resource environment changes every day,” she said. One day there will be food at one locale and that will change the next day, but we keep up on it, she said.

SCRC connects people in need to the resources they need, and Jellinek said Jackie Carter, lead connections specialist, knows more resources in Boundary and Bonner counties for connecting people in need than perhaps anyone else.

In these times of pandemic, SCRS is seeing more needy people who now have multiple needs. “These are food service and hospitality workers who have been laid off,” she said, adding that the money from Idaho Gives will be used to expand its outreach.

Another non-profit benefiting from Idaho Gives’ drive is the Memorial Community Center and Preschool in Hope. The center provides a meeting place for many local groups for a nominal fee; it also brings a guest speaker to the center once per month for community enrichment.

The board put in a great deal of effort to maximize the results of the fund drive by utilizing social media, the Daily Bee, and Sandpoint online. The center received $4,610 as a result of the drive.

“A lot of our outreach was through Facebook, which allowed us to reach across the country to friends and family everywhere. Our board was very active in making personal calls to friends and family, as well, said Dawn Brinker, chair of the board, adding the board sent out a letter to the people on their supporter list and received generous donations.

“We were surprised to receive a donation from as far away as Cornwall, England!” Brinker said.

Brinker said the donations will be used to keep the Memorial Community Center, the heart of the community, functioning, “as we navigate a safe reopening.”

Selkirk Outdoor Leadership and Education (SOLE), located at 1255 Meadowood Road and run by Dennison Webb, received $10,760 from Idaho Gives.

SOLE has four different types of programs, some just for children and some just for adults. One is designed for groups, schools, families, businesses, and corporations to target and transform team dynamics, perhaps for increased productivity. Another is a day of experiential learning in the wildlands for kids K-12. SOLE has a multi-day program for kids ages 11-17 to learn leadership skills through a service project. There is a backcountry expedition and another program for honing outdoors skills, according to its website. For more information, call (208) 946-6901.

American Heritage Wildlife Foundation, located in Clark Fork on Hwy. 200, raised $3,212.98 through Idaho Gives. The foundation works to preserve all local wildlife through rehabilitation of the injured and orphaned animal, and it sponsors educational programs on this subject.

“Most of the money was through 30 donors who were already familiar with what we do, which is to keep North Idaho wild,” said Kathleen St.Clair-McGee. She said one widower donated a large sum in memory of his wife.

Monies donated are used for the medical care of injured wildlife and for rehabilitation. There is no governmental support; it’s all community supported, she said. “In many cases, antibiotics are needed and specialty diets are required before transitioning to a natural diet. We care for mammals and birds. Owls require frozen mice, and they are expensive, St.Clair-McGee said.

“We also pay a small weekly stipend to university students who may be going into a wildlife field to visit us to learn,” she said. AHWF has a long-term goal of building a nature center complete with classroom space and educational materials. Meanwhile, the nonprofit, all of them volunteers, are working to open an interactive nature path.

Another nonprofit yielding relatively high dollars from Idaho Gives is The Pearl Theater in Bonners Ferry. The theater received $3,010 to continue to offer the performing arts to the northernmost Idaho residents.

Of the 19 new nonprofits in Bonner and Boundary counties during the past year, not counting the aforementioned, the nonprofit dollars per organization went this way: Panhandle Animal Shelter, $2,135; Selkirk Conservation Alliance, $175; Priest River Animal Rescue, $2,883; Mystic Farm Wildlife Rescue, Inc. $255; Community Cancer Services, $2,375; Friends of Scotchman’s Peaks Wilderness, $1,800; Sandpoint Teen Center, $240; Kaniksu Land Trust, $710; Creations, $1,730; Music Conservatory of Sandpoint, $1,340; Panhandle Special Needs, $2,475; Panida Theater, $800; Lake Pend Oreille Waterkeeper, $2,060; and GROW: Gardeners for Regional Organic Wellbeing, $888.50.

For more information on Idaho Gives, contact Amy Little, alittle@idahononprofits.org .

Susan Drinkard writes features for the Daily Bee. She can be reached at susanadiana@icloud.com.