I was born and raised in the ghetto, on welfare, two minutes from homeless --will.i.am
A HUMAN SERVICE PROGRAM HELPING TO END HOMELESSNESS IN IDAHO!
I, like millions of children out there, have experienced homelessness as a child and homelessness is something that is very near and dear to me. As a child, I grew up in a drug home and we lived many nights in our van, the park, homeless shelter (Opportunity House in Vacaville, Ca.), and in a park. As a child this wasn't easy, as an adult, I could only imagine. We've seen the issue in our community with homeless, most recently the tragedy of a young girls life at the Boise Walmart. This review isn't here to debate why people are homeless, it's to review a non-profit agency that is taking this issue into their hands and supporting individuals to end homelessness.
I heard about CATCH from my partner, George, who was looking for community resources to help one of his employees who's been sleeping in their car.
This review is based solely on research and word-of-mouth to bring community awareness and resources for our loved ones and other members in need in Idaho. I have not used their services. I will be adding both of their locations to Yelp and using primarily the same review. This is CATCH's first review and my 437th Yelp review.
CATCH has three programs:
Housing Placement and Rental Assistance-- help build a Housing Plan together to you find an affordable home in your name. They will sponsor the application fee, security deposit, and rent (eligibility requirements must be met). They offer as much rental assistance as is needed to stabilize you, which varies family-to-family.
Case Management-- this is a person that stays with you after you've found a place. They will help you set long-term goals and help minimize the risk of recidivism. I've done Case Management and its some of the most rewarding and hard work I've done. They become a partner of yours. There to listen and help you help yourself.
Financial Independence-- they partner with other providers, locally, to help you and your income. According to their website, they offer financial literacy, budget counseling, and job development skills needed to ensure that your income is sustainable enough to maintain your housing. The partner with Mountain West Bank to match your savings up to $500, which to me, is incredible! Way to go Mountain West Bank!
Please visit their website for more information on their services or to become a Housing First Advocate! You can sign up to join CATCH, Inc.'s email list! By joining the list, you'll be able to hear stories of success, calls-to-action, upcoming events and ways to help!
Both Ada and Canyon County have very similar but different services and partners that they work with. Shout out to The Salvation Army of Idaho for the work that they do for our community and many others around the world.
The first step toward change is awareness. The second step is acceptance-- Nathaniel Branden read more