Get Involved
Join our movement of compassion designed to reduce child abuse and bring stability to families while returning the Body of Christ to the forefront of caring for their neighbor.
Relationships are at the core of the IdaHope Families model – developing a supportive and caring relationship between the family in need and our volunteers is vital. All of our families in need will work with a mentor who will guide them toward long-term change that fosters wholeness. Parents who place children in hostings maintain full parental rights and are encouraged to participate in decisions regarding their care while they live in the Host Home. Often, strong bonds are formed, and relationships continue long after the children are returned to their parents and stability is brought back to the home.
STEPS TO GET INVOLVED
What if you could stop child abuse before it starts? When you support IdaHope Families, you join in a groundbreaking collaboration between local church volunteers and family care professionals to support at-risk children, and parents in hard places.
Your support will enable the Christian community to reemerge as a champion for vulnerable families and help heal hearts and lives in your community through the love and power of Jesus Christ.
You have an opportunity to provide respite, guidance, and encouragement to struggling parents while keeping children safe from potential harm. You have an opportunity to offer a special skill to families in need that will assist them in making necessary and lasting changes. Your support keeps kids safe and families together.
1. APPLY
Click the “request information” button below and fill out the volunteer pre-application form. Our Program Manager will contact you to discuss the volunteer opportunities.
2. SCREENING
Volunteer Host Homes, Mentors, and Support Partners participate in a screening and training process including FBI background checks, references, in-person interviews, and for Host Homes a home assessment.
3. VOLUNTEER
When an individual or family is facing a crisis and needs assistance our approved volunteers come alongside them while receiving support and guidance from our Case Manager.
You don’t have to have extraordinary skills. You just have to say yes to an extraordinary God.
HOST HOMES
The trust built between the Family in Need and our volunteers is central to the IdaHope Families program. It’s at the heart of creating a haven of support for the family in need. Our goal is to reduce social isolation and provide ongoing support that fosters long-term change. Building resilience and long-lasting relationships is at the core of this movement.
Host Homes are recruited from local churches and are vetted and trained to assist families and children from hard places offering them a safe place and compassionate care until they bring stability back to their home.
Key Components for hostings
- Parents maintain custody of their children who are hosted. Host Homes offer temporary housing to vulnerable children in approved volunteer homes.
- Host Homes can change the trajectory of a family in crisis as they bring hope.
- Host Homes must be a part of a church community, be at least 25 years old, emotionally and financially stable, mature, law-abiding, healthy, and active.
- Host Homes must be willing to engage in a long-term friendship with a family in need, agree not to use drugs, and refrain from using profanity or engaging in other negative behavior that may impact a child.
- Surround families in crisis with compassionate support and care that fosters lasting change.
- Host Homes may also offer respite care to families in crisis.
MENTORS
Mentors are a key part of our ministry as they support parents in need, and ensure they have access to the resources necessary while guiding them toward lasting change. They act as advocates for the family in need, eliminating social isolation and providing encouragement. Mentors also meet with Host Home volunteers to ensure they have the support they need to care for the children being hosted and monitor child safety.
At IdaHope Families, parents in distress work together in a 50/50 partnership with the Mentor through whom all our services are provided.
Being a Mentor is a unique and rewarding experience. If you are interested in supporting families in need and providing them with resources, championing child safety, and building relationships with the individuals and parents in need as you encourage healthy growth.
Key components of mentoring:
- Build trusting relationships with families in need and walk with them through the crisis toward lasting change.
- Assist and support Host Home volunteers as they host children.
- Monitor the safety of the child(ren) in need.
- Provide community resource referrals to the families in need.
- Guide parents toward their goals.
- Mentors must be law-abiding, involved in a church community, and at least 23 years of age.
SUPPORT PARTNERS
Support Partners aid families in need by offering goods and/or services as well as tangible support contributing to the stabilization of the family. Some examples of the elements Support Partners offer are prayer, meals or groceries, clothing for kids, temporary financial assistance, and special services like hairstyling, plumbing, carpentry, auto mechanic skills, medical assistance, counseling, etc.
OTHER WAYS TO HELP
There are so many other ways you can help out. One way is to consider an ambassador role. See volunteer ambassador opportunities in the section below.
Have a special skill?
Just let us know and we’ll match our needs with your areas of skill and blessing. Please contact our Program Manager to discuss other ways you can help keep kids safe and families together:
“I’m all in. I want to help heal with God’s provision. I want to give these kids a chance, to help their fathers be the best dads that they can be utilizing the resources, the tools, the teaching, the education that IdaHope Families provides.”
CHURCH OUTREACH AMBASSADOR
A Church Outreach Committee Ambassador (COA) serves within the church as a leadership liaison, builds awareness of the ministry, and assists with the recruiting, training, and fundraising process of the ministry.
EVENTS COMMITTEE AMBASSADOR
An Events Committee Ambassador (ECA) volunteers to inspire people in the community to support IdaHope Families as they create awareness events, advocate for the ministry’s growth, and assist with fundraising to propel the ministry forward.
FUNDRAISING COMMITTEE AMBASSADOR
An Ambassador (AM) volunteers to inspire people in the community to support IdaHope Families as they create awareness, advocate for the ministry’s growth, and assist with fundraising to propel the ministry forward.
PROGRAM & BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT COMMITEE AMBASSADOR
A Program & Business Development Ambassador (PBDA) volunteers to inspire people in the community to support IdaHope Families as they create awareness, advocate for the ministry’s growth, and assist with fundraising and programming to propel the ministry forward.
PUBLIC RELATIONS COMMITTEE AMBASSADOR
A Public Relations Committee Ambassador (PRA) volunteers to inspire people in the community to support IdaHope Families as they create awareness, advocate for the ministry’s growth and assist with fundraising to propel the ministry forward.
REACH OUT TO US
Contact us for more information on how you can help families in distress keep their children safe and their families intact.
M, W, F 9:00 am – 1:00 pm
T, TH 12:00 pm – 4:00 pm
OUR NEW LOCATION IS:
212 N. 1st Ave. Ste 303 Sandpoint, ID 83864
(208) 295-SAFE
(208) 295-7233
Text “INFO” to (208) 423-8400
We look forward to serving alongside you and your church.
Need More Info? Leave A Message:
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IdaHope Families, Inc. is a nonprofit, tax-exempt charitable organization under Section 501(c)3 of the Internal Revenue Code. Donations are tax-deductible as allowed by law.