Avenues for Hope aims to help region's housing nonprofits

Nonprofits across North Idaho are looking for your support as they raise money needed to provide critical housing and supportive services during the 13th annual Avenues for Hope Housing Challenge.

Donations made during the 20-day online fundraising campaign provide the resources that enable places like Family Promise of North Idaho to keep serving its community. The organization says housing stability is the focus of their campaign this year. It plans to use the money it raises to support families in the Coeur d’Alene area with safe and hospitable shelter while working with others to make sure they do not lose the housing they have.

“These funds allow us to work with families to get them back on track, so they are not constantly worrying about how they will pay their rent,” said Cindy Wood, executive director at Family Promise of North Idaho. “Avenues for Hope gives us a great platform to let donors know their contribution can go much further than they may think.”

Family Promise of North Idaho is one of 19 nonprofits in North Idaho participating in this year’s campaign to help chronically and temporarily homeless, domestic violence survivors, veterans, people with disabilities, vulnerable youth, seniors, and low-income Idahoans. Over the past 12 years, Avenues for Hope has helped raise more than $12 million.

“We are deeply grateful for the many nonprofit organizations and dedicated people working across Idaho to help those who have become unemployed, a victim of domestic violence, disabled, evicted, or otherwise cannot afford a place of shelter,” said Gerald M. Hunter, president of Idaho Housing and Finance. “The Avenues for Hope campaign is our annual opportunity to help support these critical nonprofits and the thousands they assist.”

Donors can direct their tax-deductible gifts to one or more nonprofit organizations through Dec. 31 at avenuesforhope.org.

Participating nonprofits in North Idaho include Alternatives to Violence of the Palouse, Bonner Community Housing Agency, Bonner Homeless Transitions, CDAIDE, Inc., Connect Kootenai, Family Promise North Idaho, Family Promise of the Palouse, Habitat for Humanity of North Idaho, HomeShare Kootenai County, L-C Valley Habitat for Humanity, LC Valley Youth Resource Center, Moscow Affordable Housing Trust, Inc., Palouse Habitat for Humanity, Safe Passage, Sojourners’ Alliance, St. Vincent de Paul of North Idaho, The Salvation Army of Lewiston, Union Gospel Mission, YWCA of Lewiston–Clarkston.

The campaign would not be possible without the support of these generous sponsors who provide more than $350,000 in matching gifts: 

• Platinum: Idaho Housing and Finance, Wells Fargo, Zions Bank 

• Gold: Blue Cross of Idaho, Idaho Central Credit Union, Micron

• Silver: Barclays, Boise Housing Corporation, Bonial & Associates, Federal Home Loan Bank of Des Moines, Magellan Healthcare, Mountain West Bank, Stifel, The Pacific Companies

• Bronze: Academy Mortgage, Bank of Commerce, Cicchetti, Tansley & McGrath LLP, First Interstate Bank, Hawley Troxell, Idaho Power, IL Group/OSC Insurance Services, National Field Representatives, New Beginnings Housing, Northwest Integrity Housing Co., PacificSource, Saint Alphonsus, Skinner Fawcett LLP, Thomas Development Company, Washington Trust Bank 

• Friends: Citizens Community Bank, Eide Bailly, Essent, Evergreen Home Loans, Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation, First American, Gerald M. Hunter, Gilmore Bell, Guild Mortgage, Idaho Community Foundation, Idaho National Laboratory, Intermountain Gas, Landmark Promotions, MGIC, Piper Sandler & Co., ProLink Solutions, Synergy One Lending, TAO Idaho, TitleOne, Trustee Services Inc.