Children's Home Society

Intermountain Gas Company Fuels our Fundraising Fire!

admin — Wed, 16 May 2012 22:28:49 +0000

This week, we’ve been asking people to pledge their support for the 90 kids and family members we treat each day. The response has been encouraging and we’re reminded, once again, that the Boise valley is a caring and thoughtful community. Our biggest pledge so far is from Intermountain Gas Company. Not only does Intermountain Gas give us monetary support, it gives us the time and talent of its HR director, Linda Murray. Linda joined our board in January and we are grateful for her dedication.

Others who have pledged their support this week are Bob Ball, Robert Fulwyler, and Mary Lou Harris. Thank you!

If you’d like to help, simply click here for an online pledge form or call me, Joanne Taylor, at 343-7813, ext. 1510.

Congrats to The Idaho Foodbank

admin — Wed, 16 May 2012 20:56:22 +0000

We didn’t take home the big prize for Boise Chamber of Commerce nonprofit of the year, but one of our friends did! We love the work The … Continue reading →

Boise Nonprofit of the Year!

admin — Mon, 14 May 2012 19:44:09 +0000

We’ve been nominated for the Boise Chamber of Commerce Nonprofit of the Year Award. We’ll find out tomorrow if we’re the winner. As our CEO Teresa Alexander said, our development manager Joanne Taylor had a to take a 3-point jump shot at the buzzer for this one. Somehow our application got lost. Luckily, the Chamber let us submit our application at the final hour. We’re thrilled to be among so many great organizations that do so much good for our community. These include Big Brothers Big Sisters of SW Idaho, The Idaho Foodbank, Idaho Youth Ranch, Wish Granters, and Young LIfe. Good luck to all!

FUNDSY marks 45 years of service and more than $7 million in good deeds

admin — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 21:31:55 +0000

FUNDSY is the first, largest, and most successful charity Gala in the Treasure Valley, having raised more than $7,200,000 for a wide range of community bricks and mortar projects. Help our friends at FUNDSY celebrate 45 years of giving by supporting the 2012 FUNDSY Gala and Auction or by making an online pledge. This year’s beneficiaries are the Idaho Humane Society and Terry Reilly Health Services. Check out past recipients by viewing this fun and creative map. FUNDSY Beneficiaries (Notice anyone familiar?)

Kindness is the greatest wisdom

admin — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 17:47:22 +0000

Amber (left) and Courtney Travis, Girls Scouts Troop #498

The author of the headline of this post is unknown, though it could be said to be the belief of many who give so generously and tirelessly to those in need. There are hundreds of acts of kindness carried out every day, large and small. No matter the size, the intent is profound.

At Children’s Home Society of Idaho, we are fortunate to experience random acts of kindness all of the time. Just recently, Amber and Courtney Travis of Girl Scout Troop 498 in Meridian, Idaho, stopped by with their mom to drop off two boxes of games and toys and several boxes of Girl Scout Cookies. As part of their troop’s annual “Gift of Caring” the girls had organized a toy drive for the 90+ kids who receive counseling and therapy here each day. They collected the donated cookies during their booth sales. Thanks to Amber and Courtney for their thoughtfulness.

Last week, we received an email from Elli Reese at a Boise disaster restoration company called REE-Construction. The company is organizing an event called Friends of Teddy Adoption Drive. It will take place next month, and Children’s Home Society has been selected as one of the beneficiaries. Who couldn’t use a few hundred teddy bears?! Thanks to Elli and REE, and the hundreds of others who help ensure that all kids in our community have access to mental, emotional and behavioral health care.

The Cornerstone, Spring 2012

admin — Sun, 01 Apr 2012 21:12:03 +0000

In this newsletter:

Touchstone
2012 Culinary World Tour Recap and Results
Warm Springs Counseling Center – Our Impact
Priceless Art Stories
Thanks to Our Donors
Dan Newburn – Story and Gift

View the Springs Newsletter

Treasure Valley community gives generously to local nonprofit that provides mental, emotional and behavioral health services to children

admin — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 16:43:41 +0000

BOISE, Idaho - Once again, the local community has answered a call for help. Nearly 350 people gathered at Children’s Home Society of Idaho’s annual fundraising event in Boise last Saturday to help support a program that helps ensure that all children in Treasure Valley have access to mental, emotional and behavioral health services.

Net proceeds from the “Culinary World Tour” are expected to top $80,000 and will go directly to the Children’s Home Society’s Community Sponsorship Program. The program provides subsidies to low-income children and families for a variety of services offered at Children’s Home Society’s Warm Springs Counseling Center. Funds raised will cover the costs for approximately 1,600 of the estimated 21,000 subsidies needed this year.

About Children’s Home Society of Idaho

The mission of the Children’s Home Society is to continue a century-old legacy of improving the lives of children in the community. Today, the organization accomplishes this mission by operating the Warm Springs Counseling Center which provides superior emotional and behavioral health services to at-risk children and the families that care for them.

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Art therapy works wonders at Warm Springs Counseling Center in Boise

admin — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 16:40:35 +0000

This artwork was created by a young child in our community being raised by grandparents due to mother’s homelessness & substance abuse, and father’s inprisonment. The child is shy and withdrawn but in counseling at our Warm Springs Counseling Center working on social and assertiveness skills. As a result of counseling, grades have improved and the child is now able to approach others to express needs or emotions without fear. Art is the favored mode of therapy. The child chose to create this dinosaur because “they are strong and eat healthy things” and because “they do not hurt others.” You can help fund this child’s counseling and therapy, and the hundreds of others who are in similar situations, by clicking on the donate now button at the top of this page, or here!

Self-Esteem Group – Girls 16-18 Postive About Self

admin — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 21:19:00 +0000

Warm Springs Counseling Center is offering a girls group ages 16-18. “Positive About Self” will help girls build self esteem, re-frame from negative self-talk, and more!

Date: starting April 4, 2012 (occurs weekly on Wednesdays for 11 weeks) ending on June 6, 2012

Time: 4:00-5:00 p.m

Location: Children’s Home Society of Idaho/2nd Floor Conference Room 740 Warm Springs Avenue Boise, Idaho 83712

Registration: Amy Thompson, LMSW 208-343-7797 x 1211 or athompson@childrenshomesociety.com

Cost: $35 per session

Body Image & Self-Esteem Group sessions will focus on:

Building self-esteem
Reframing negative self-talk into positive attributes
Increasing awareness of negative cultural & societal influences, and developing coping skills
Learning techniques to increase self-confidence
Creative/expressive process through art
Verbal processing

This group is for girls 16-18 years old. Sessions are held weekly on Wednesdays from 4:00-5:00 p.m. for eleven weeks. Class tuition will be waived for those who cannot afford it, and bus passes are available to help with transportation.

Sessions will consist of educational material combined with related activities and processing of topics. Concepts and skills will be taught in a progressive order. Participants should plan to attend all sessions.

The leaders of this group are Lisa Williams, LCPC, ATR, NNC; and Jennifer Ritter, LCPC.

Warm Springs Counseling Center accepts most insurance plans and Medicaid.

Subsidy programs are available for those who qualify.

Funding for this program has been provided by The Gibney Family Foundation.

The Lightfoot Foundation Awards $25,000 to Children’s Home Society’s Warm Springs Training Institute

admin — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 17:35:27 +0000

Children’s Home Society of Idaho has received a $25,000 grant from The Lightfoot Foundation to further advance its Warm Springs Training Institute Professional Development Series.

This is great news for the 38 therapists on staff at our Warm Springs Counseling Center, and for mental and behavioral health care students and professionals throughout Southwest Idaho. That’s because the Lightfoot grant helps allow the Warm Springs Training Institute to continue to offer specialized, affordable training and continuing education credits through its Professional Development Series.

To that end, the Warm Springs Institute has an excellent line up of seminars and workshops planned throughout this year.

Many thanks to The Lightfoot Foundation and to all others in our community who believe in our work.