BOISE BENCH, Idaho — The Idaho Youth Ranch Warehouse is back in business. I’m your neighborhood reporter Jessica Davis and after a fire destroyed nearly everything in the building in 2022, donations are once again being sorted and priced for customers to buy.
- Idaho Youth Ranch Warehouse is back in operation after a 2022 fire.
- The nonprofit plans to accept donations warehouse donations in late spring
- Idaho Youth Ranch Warehouse is located in the Boise Bench, at 5465 W Irving St #100, Boise, ID 83706
(Below is the transcript from the broadcast story)
The Idaho Youth Ranch Warehouse is back in business. I’m your neighborhood reporter Jessica Davis and after a fire destroyed nearly everything in the building in 2022, donations are once again being sorted and priced for customers to buy.
"Everything in here was destroyed," said Jeff Myers, Vice President of Marketing and Communication for the Idaho Youth Ranch.
Starting from scratch.
"Most of it looked fine but it was damaged because of the smoke and the water and so everything that was in this big building had to be disposed of," said Jeff Myers, Vice President of Marketing & Communication.
From donations, to the closets.
“There are metal rods that sit in here and go across. So, imagine that as kind of like your closet only this one is three high,” Myers described.
Clothes, household items, and more are once again making their way through the Idaho Youth Ranch's West Boise warehouse and employees are back in the building they call home.
“That's why I say every day is a holiday around here for me,” said Connie Fesler.
Connie Fesler has been working at the ranch for 15 years, managing all the seasonal items that come in.
Fesler told me, “I just check them out and make sure they're okay try to make them nice and neat so when they get to the store it's easier for them to price,”
Even after the devastating fire that wiped out the warehouse in 2022, almost every employee continued working, operating out of a temporary space.
But now...
"We're all glad to be home, I guess you could say this is home, every day is a holiday,” added Fesler.
The damages cost millions for the non-profit, and they are still working to fix what they can, however, sorting out insurance claims has been a battle.
Myers said, “We're actually in a dispute with our insurance company the suit that was filed at us is an excess of 10 million dollars and that's an ongoing process for us unfortunately.”
But that battle won't impact their mission to continue serving the Treasure Valley.
"People have been wanting to donate more and provide the resources and we just haven't been able to accept those. People have been so patient with us and we're just grateful for people's support and patience,” added Myers.
They're still building closets for out-of-season donations, the Idaho Youth Ranch Warehouse is planned to be back in full operation later this Spring.
