Love Inc Of The Boise Community Incorporated

Programs: Abundant living is a community that meets weekly. In 2016 love inc boise expanded its core program from 6 months to 9 months plus the al holiday running in nov/dec and quarterly electives which allows participants a full year of training and support. In addition, we launched a satellite version of the program; a 5 week course that churches and organizations can host as a stand-alone class with an option to transfer to the main campus for the full program. The courses focus on empowering clients to break the cycle of living in need. Classes emphasize basic budgeting, life skills and ways to save. Actively engaged participants earn additional resources for their effort. The program continues to expand as needs in the community are identified. Many of the families who come to us are single moms and blended families struggling to live paycheck to paycheck. As they enroll in the abundant living program they receive the tools and training to handle money effectively and improve their situation. In 2017, we added al kidz, a companion curriculum with 12 lessons and seasonal content in addition to established resources for children. By providing for the basic needs of their children, parents are free to focus on aggressively reducing their debt and creating long-term financial stability. Our al kidz program recognizes that getting the whole family on board makes change sustainable. The al kidz curriculum is designed to mirror parent learning, support kids' curiosity and concerns about money and set parents up as natural role models through weekly family activities. Needs addressed through al kidz program: equipping parents with basic budgeting tools and age-appropriate ways to involve children in family finances. Helping parents establish boundaries for impulse spending such as stress induced eating out or using toys/candy to placate instead of discipline. Creates age-appropriate tools to help children learn financial principles. Outcomes: parents and children identify the connection between emotions and money. Through 12-lesson (quarterly) kids curriculum to mirror adult learning volunteers demonstrate tools and foster learning environment easily carried into the home. Parents actively using the family activities worksheet help their child apply the weekly lesson. Each lesson passively reinforces adult learning and productive communication between parent and child. Over time, parents who practice budgeting their finances with a goal of reducing their debt are in a position to reduce stress, build reserves to cash-flow minor emergencies and create financial stability. Children learning the same concepts in age-appropriate language will naturally see parents as positive role models. They are able to express their concern and curiosity about money, ultimately impacting the next generations world-view on financial stability. Sometimes just $1. 98/day can be the tipping point for a family. Participants in the abundant livng program can earn approximately $1. 98/day in resources that frees up money in their budget to begin paying down debt. As they see the power of gods financial principles at work, they become bold in their choices to break the cycle of living in need and leave a legacy of abundant living for the next generation. Since 2014 graduates average paying down $7000 in debt while in the program.

the clearinghouse is a volunteer-manned call center dedicated to hearing the story of those in need. Our process is designed to vet not only the legitimacy but also the depth of the need. In 2017, we fielded an average of 120 call per month, made 1278 referrals and serviced 1481 families with products/services through gaps. Gap ministries are cooperative efforts coordinated through the local churches to provide products and services not easily accessible or affordable in the community. Last year, over $59,000 in goods were given to love inc clients as a hand up to breaking the cycle of living in need.

other program accomplishments:volunteers from 48 churches gave 8083 hours of their time to help people in need through love inc boise; an increase of 8. 8% over prior year. Our ministry multiplied donations to give more than $117,300 in goods and services. Church partnerships are essential to love inc, and volunteers are its lifeblood. Our community of churches, networking together host 11 resource sites or gap ministries. They refer people in need to our clearinghouse where we can determine the legitimacy and depth of the need. Volunteers use their talents in coordinated efforts such as home repair, yard work, moving teams, and craft work as well as participating in community projects and demonstrating the unity of the body of christ in prayer and service of those in need. Since 2014, weve offered transformational ministry in the abundant living program that educates on basic budgeting skills, life skills and communication skills. Clients dedicated to improving their situation work one on one with volunteer budget counselors and goal coaches and are successfully reducing their debt improving spending/saving habits. Al kidz is a companion curriculum for kids ages 4-12 that mirrors adult learning in age-appropriate lessons and weekly family activities. In addition to direct client services, we strive for good stewardship in the day-to-day operations of our office. We continue to enjoy donate space for our offices, utilities and our off-site gap ministries valued at $156,948. We also received donated accounting and cpa services saving us over $8800. With the hours, services and goods provided, we recorded ministry value of $577,602 to families in the boise community; an increase of 19% over prior year.