BOISE, Idaho — The holidays can be a time for giving back to the community — Jesse Tree is doing just that by raising money to help prevent eviction and homelessness for Idahoans.
- You can learn more about the Avenues for Hope Housing Challenge here.
- You can apply for assistance or donate to Jesse Tree here.
(The following is a transcription of the full broadcast story.)
“We see a lot more need during the winter months... It’s really important to keep people in their homes during the holidays and make sure housing nonprofits have the resources that they need," says Ali Rabe, the Executive Director at Jesse Tree. Jesse Tree is a local non-profit that helps Treasure Valley families avoid homelessness.
“So many families are living paycheck to paycheck, month to month. If something happens to them — they lose their job, they have a health care issue, their car breaks down— suddenly they’re on the brink of homelessness," says Rabe. She says they see more people asking for help in the winter months as seasonal work winds down and utility costs go up.
“We don’t want to see homelessness happen to our community. So when someone can’t pay their rent, they are in a difficult time, [and] they’re about to lose their housing— we support them with emergency rental assistance and services to keep them in their homes. We provide assistance to over 1,000 families a year," says Rabe. So far this year they have given out around $1.7 Million in emergency rental assistance, giving families a chance to stay in their homes.
“Most of that funding is coming from individuals in the community, so we’re definitely just letting folks know what we’ve accomplished so far— which is a lot," says Rabe.
This year they’re holding their 5th annual Housed for the Holidays event to help raise funds for their organization. Though the event is sold out this year, Rabe says individuals make a big impact.
“Some people just give five dollars, some people give $5,000. Everything in between helps us reach our goals," added Rabe. “It’s a very unique approach to trying to end homelessness, but let’s try to prevent this from happening to people instead of allowing it to happen."
