Posts published in “Malloy”

Are you ready for the Super Bowl?

Not THAT Super Bowl. I’m talking about the Idaho Gives campaign, which runs May 4-7. It is the Super Bowl … the Stanley Cup finals … and the Olympics for more than 700 nonprofits throughout the Gem State that rely heavily on this campaign to help with their good works.

The MVP trophy is a foregone conclusion. It goes to the Idahoans who put their generosity on full display. Idahoans have donated $33 million since the campaign started in 2013. Last year, Idahoans contributed a record $5.1 million to the campaign. The goal this year is $6 million.

Don’t bet against Idaho making that lofty goal.

“Last year, we found that 85 percent of the nonprofits found at least one new donor,” says Evin Bask, senior philanthropic impact director for the Idaho Community Foundation.

Not surprising. The list of nonprofits is like a giant shopping mall for charitable giving. In my year of writing about nonprofits, I have run across so many people doing things to make this state, and world, a better place – and that’s just a small sample of what’s out there.

I’ve written about the Women’s and Children’s Alliance, which helps so many families through the trauma of domestic violence. There are “Angel Wings” in Weiser who transport cancer patients to doctor appointments. Panhandle Special Needs of Sandpoint helps produce “normal living” for people with mental disabilities … and a Health Coalition of Teton Valley, which helps people through a variety of mental challenges. I ran across the Village of Hope (Coeur d’Alene), which provides resources for foster families. And I had the honor of talking to real heroes from the Wildlife Firefighters Association and Idaho Mountain Search and Rescue.

Granted, there are some (a very few, actually) that may have controversial political or philosophical leanings. But there are no “eligibility cops” at work here. Leave that to the secretary of state and IRS to determine what’s a nonprofit.

For the charity shopper, Bask says, “There are all sorts of flavors out there, and it’s up to donors to determine the causes they want to support.”

Colin Mannex, executive director of Moscow’s Kenworthy Performing Arts Center, is one who appreciates what Idaho Gives provides.

“As the most active historic theater in Idaho, we’re proud to celebrate 100 years of movies and live arts. Idaho Gives has been a very important part of our annual programming for almost a decade,” he said.

“Idaho Gives affords an unparalleled opportunity to reach folks spanning ages and various interests who all share the same desire to preserve the arts and cultural scene in Moscow,” he said. “When we hit the giving season, we go all out with special community programs that appeal to different audiences each night.”

This year, KPAC is opening with a staged reading of ‘Our Town’ (May 4) and closing with a ‘Groove for Good’ jazz concert to benefit local nonprofits (May 7).

With grassroots support, he says, “we’re constantly chipping away at essential upgrades like a new sound system, new popcorn machine and a complete marquee restoration. Next up, we’re going to install a wall-to-wall 40-foot screen and a 4K projector that will provide the best old-school moviegoing experience in the Intermountain Northwest.”

That’s one example of how Idaho Gives has contributed to the quality of life in the Gem State. Bask, in her work, sees many other examples.

“The nonprofit sector does so much to make Idaho a great place to live, We keep saying that you can’t go more than a city block to see the impacts from the nonprofit sector – whether you are skiing at Bogus, going to the Morrison Center, or walking downtown and seeing people housed in shelters,” she says.

“Our nonprofits are filling some critical gaps in our community, and Idaho is a greater place to live because of that.”

She certainly hits the mark there.

Chuck Malloy, an Idaho native and long-time journalist and columnist, is a volunteer writer with the Idaho Community Foundation’s Nonprofit Center. He may be reached at ctmalloy@outlook.com

April is the month that has Easter, the Master’s golf tournament and showers that bring May flowers.

It’s also National Volunteer Month, something that doesn’t get the attention of the more heralded events. But during these troubled times, it’s nice to remind ourselves there are wonderful people doing incredible deeds to make this country a better place. And there are civic organizations, such as the Rotary, Lions and Kiwanis that promote volunteer efforts and nonprofits.

Meet Honey Goodman, program director of the Boise-based Aging Strong, which gives hundreds of seniors in the Treasure Valley (and beyond) a greater purpose in their lives and a reason to get out of bed in the morning. She describes the program, with limited marketing, as “the valley’s best-kept secret.”

Those interested in volunteering for a variety of services, including foster grandparenting and respite companionship, may apply through the website (Agingstrong.org), or by contacting Goodman (hgoodman@jannus.org).

One of the features of Goodman’s nonprofit is “foster grandparents,” where seniors are assigned to tutor and mentor kids that may be struggling academically or emotionally. The program has the backing from the Nampa Rotary Club.

“I love the volunteer component of this,” said Amy Stahl, a Rotarian who sits on the board of directors for Aging Strong. Stahl’s Rotary Club has put together tutoring kits, which include flash cards for math and reading and various school supplies.

“Indirectly, they also are working with the entire classroom. Kids love it when these foster grandparents come into the classroom … they become the class grandparents. And we see academic progress with the children. Foster grandparents give the students the time and attention that classroom teachers don’t have the time and capacity to do.”

For the seniors, mentoring children can be a life-changer. Goodman, a former chief operating officer and co-owner of a hospice, sees a different side to elderly care.

“The average age of our volunteers is 75, and they are finding purpose with their lives,” she said. “It warms my heart that we are helping older adults in this fashion. Our program shows that people can go out and make a difference, regardless of age.”

From Stahl’s perch, support for Aging Strong is part of what Rotarians do – putting “service above self.” The Nampa Rotary backs a variety of other causes – including women and children, environmental matters, the Boys Girls Club of Canyon County and Terry Reilly Health Services to name a few. Rotary clubs worldwide are participating in an "Epic Day of Service" on May 16.

Stahl’s passion for volunteerism goes beyond Rotary. She serves on the Southwestern Regional Council of the Idaho Community Foundation, which reviews various grant applications for nonprofits. She has been a Rotarian for 21 years.

Other club members have similar thoughts about their service with Rotary.

“I appreciate the opportunity to connect with people from different backgrounds who bring new perspectives and resources to service. It creates a space where meaningful work can happen collectively,” says Sarah Buck, community center manager for the Salvation Army of Nampa.

“There’s a famous quote by Winston Churchill that I love using as to why I joined Rotary: ‘We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give,’” says Sal Vitale.

“Rotary provides a meaningful way to turn good intentions into tangible outcomes by bringing together people who care about making a difference,” says Rob O'Donahue

“Being a part of Rotary gives me practical ways to serve others and encourages me to be mindful of my neighbors and environment,” says Savannah D’Orazio Blair.

“I love Rotary because it reflects what I believe in – people helping people,” says Jeremy Sankwich, who in July will be installed as the club’s president. “It’s about giving back, supporting others and being part of something bigger than yourself.”

The world is not such a gloomy place after all.

Chuck Malloy, an Idaho native and long-time journalist and columnist, is a volunteer writer with the Idaho Community Foundation’s Nonprofit Center. He may be reached at ctmalloy@outlook.com

You can take a teacher out of the classroom, but you can’t take the classroom out of the teacher. Case in point: Idaho State Treasurer Julie Ellsworth, a former public school teacher.

Her life has gone in different directions since her teaching days. She has been the state treasurer since 2019 and served 12 years as a state representative from Boise. Ellsworth’s job includes making sure Idaho maintains a spit-shine credit rating and ensuring that the state receives a healthy return on investments.

There are no rumblings about her job performance. Ellsworth says proudly that her “conservative investment strategy” has returned more than $566 million in interest-earnings to Idaho taxpayers. And that’s just in the current fiscal year.

The “teacher” in her is on full display with the planning of an America250 Idaho celebration that will culminate on July 4. Her classroom “students” are the hundreds, if not thousands, of volunteers throughout the Gem State who are working to make this the biggest celebration since … well, maybe ever.

Ellsworth has been spending her “off time” from her official job making Spuddy Buddy dolls to emulate figures from the Revolutionary War era. So, we’re seeing the likes of George Washingtater, James Madispud, Spudjamin Franklin and Alexander Hamiltater.

I’ve seen teachers doing creative things in my time, but none that holds a French fry to this.

America250 Idaho has more moving parts than the Declaration of Independence. One of my favorites is the 250,000-hour service challenge, where everyday people can document simple acts of kindness. There have been more than 45,000 postings so far, and Idahoans are just getting warmed up.

“This is where Martha Washington comes in,” Ellsworth says (yes, teacher). “Martha Washington won the Revolutionary War – she and Abigail Adams (make that Abby-tot Adams). They provided aid and lifted the spirits of the troops.”

Ellsworth has tabbed the “Spuddy” version of Martha – or Marth-tot Washingtater – as the mascot for the service challenge.

The challenge has provided hours of interesting reading for Ellsworth. She sees a story about a woman who took her niece for a day to give her ill sister a needed break. There’s one about presenting quilts to veterans from the Eastern Idaho Quilts of Honor. There’s one about a Parma woman and her daughter making dinner for a friend who had surgery.

“I’m having some of the best reading of my life,” Ellsworth says. “If I want to feel good, I just look at this string of stories. We may have created the template for this, but I’m getting out of the way and letting it happen.”

The goal is to collect 250,000 of these stories, but don’t be surprised if that number is significantly higher. My friends with the Idaho Community Foundation are “all in” with the project. The foundation sees the opening for encouraging Idahoans to volunteer, shining a light on nonprofits statewide and supporting America250 Idaho community projects through private donations.

“America250 Idaho is exactly the kind of moment collective giving was designed for,” said Steve Burns, president and CEO of ICF. “It brings people together around shared values, and our role is to provide the trusted stewardship that turns generosity into lasting community impact.”

Participation in the service challenge is easy. Any act of service qualifies, and folks can post by hopping onto IdahoKindness.com or Facebook. Ellsworth offers another solution for those who are not online.

“Write it on a piece of paper and bring it into my office. It will get posted,” she says.

It’s possible that those papers will be graded, but don’t worry because Mrs. Ellsworth is a “nice” teacher. Everybody involved with America250 gets an “A” in this classroom.

Chuck Malloy, an Idaho native and long-time journalist and columnist, is a volunteer writer with the Idaho Community Foundation’s Nonprofit Center. He may be reached at ctmalloy@outlook.com.

The name of Dan Gandy’s nonprofit in Pocatello tells everything about what’s in his heart. And if you have admiration for veterans and first responders, you’ll love what he’s doing.

The 52-year-old Gandy, a former Marine, is providing veterans and first responders with a year-long introduction to Jiu Jitsu – free of charge. He has no ambition for personal gain.

“I don’t want to make money off it – I just want to help people,” Gandy says.

Gandy’s other motivation is a love for Jiu Jitsu, and the challenging training that goes with martial arts. He says it has helped him through some dark times of his post-military life, including the death of a son in 2021.

“When I left the Marine Corps, I carried the same weight that so many veterans and first responders know so well – the loss of structure and the feeling that the world kept moving while I was trying to figure out who I was supposed to be,” he said. “Eventually, I realized I needed something healthier – something that grounded me, instead of pulling me farther away from myself.”

Jiu Jitsu ended up being a turning point in his life. Now, he is pursuing a master’s degree in clinical rehabilitation counseling while working as a real estate agent and an operator of a blacksmithing business.

As for his ultimate career goal, he said, “I want to provide the help that so many veterans need.”

Gandy, who started his Jiu Jitsu scholarship program in January, expects more participation over time. At the moment, he has three participants – a Marine veteran, an Army veteran and a Pocatello police detective. A Blackfoot police officer has shown high interest in the program.

As with other nonprofits, fundraising is an essential part of Gandy’s operation. He estimates the cost of hosting a class of five is $6,500 a year.

“This is a scholarship program that funds veterans to train at any academy they choose eventually. However, until we grow enough to support all our participants, we have partnered with Colossal Fight Company, where we are trained by an excellent staff of black belts,” Gandy said.

Scott Card, the Pocatello police detective, says there are obvious benefits to Jiu Jitsu training.

“The Pocatello Police Department does an amazing job of training us, but you can never train enough for a job that can kill you,” he said. “I have a wife and three kids that are under eight years old, and I want to be able to come home. If I can spend a couple of hours a week, on top of my regular gym workouts, then I can better myself with my defensive tactics. I don’t want to end my life knowing that I didn’t train hard enough. And I don’t want to take someone else’s life, or get myself in a situation where I could have avoided a more serious confrontation.”

If given a choice, the 30-year-old Card would rather use his hands than a gun to neutralize a confrontation. With Jiu Jitsu, submissions tend to happen quickly – which is good in Card’s line of work.

“I’m in this job to help people and make the community safer, and I don’t want to hurt anybody,” Card says. “I haven’t used Jiu Jitsu skills yet, and that’s fine with me. But I’m a detective, a member of the SWAT team and the street-crime team, so my chance of being in a violent situation is greater than the average officer.”

As for the program, Card said, “Dan is so generous with his time and I’m grateful for him wanting to help veterans and first responders in our community. From a police perspective, the more training we have, the more likely we are to keep everyone safer – suspects, victims and even ourselves.”

For veterans, Gandy says, “Community support doesn’t just fund training. It restores hope, connection and purpose. It gives someone the chance to rebuild a life in the same way I’ve built mine. This is not a business or a hobby for me, it’s a lifeline.”

Chuck Malloy, an Idaho native and long-time journalist and columnist, is a volunteer writer with the Idaho Community Foundation’s Nonprofit Center. He may be reached at ctmalloy@outlook.com

Imagine the desperation LaRita Shepherd must have felt three years ago, sleeping in her car or along the Boise River. And she had a 7-year-old daughter who was living somewhere else.

LaRita says that as bad as those days were, they still felt safer than staying with her abuser. She tried to leave several times, but each attempt ended with him finding her again. With a shelter feeling out of reach, her only “safe haven” became her car or the banks of the Boise River. In the chaos of survival, substance use took hold as she tried to cope.

“The summers were extremely hot and the winters were beyond freezing,” she said.

Along the way, someone told LaRita about CATCH, a nonprofit agency that helps homeless families find housing and get back on their feet. Now, LaRita and her daughter are living in an apartment in Boise. LaRita is off drugs, working fulltime and pursuing a career in cosmetology. Her daughter is thriving as a fifth-grade student.

And LaRita is a testimony about the value of CATCH.

“CATCH gave me the self-confidence I have today,” she says. “They’ve given me and many others a second chance at life. Life just seems to make sense now.”

LaRita’s is not the only success story, and she’s far from the only victim of domestic violence living on the streets. According to CATCH, nearly half of the families they’ve worked with over the past year (44 percent) were fleeing domestic violence. In Southwest Idaho alone, that amounts to 100 of the 227 families CATCH has served since 2024. It’s a pattern that Jeremy Blades, the organization’s director of housing services, says he’s seen again and again.

That’s 100 of 227 families served by CATCH in Southwest Idaho since 2024. Jeremy Blades, CATCH director of housing services, has seen this story play out many times.

“The moment a survivor chooses safety, they often lose their housing, financial stability, social support and legal protection all at once,” he said. “Leaving your abuser often means leaving everything behind.”

Stephanie Day, the executive director of CATCH, has seen homelessness from all angles, but she was surprised by the numbers that recently were released. The reality doesn’t match some of the myths – that unemployment, alcohol and drugs are the leading causes.

“I was shocked,” she said. “I’ve been a social worker for 20 years, and we didn’t have a good grasp of how rampant the problem was with domestic violence. I think much of the community will be surprised with those numbers, too.”

According to Betsy Bowling, a regional director for housing services, domestic violence survivors – such as LaRita -- require specialized support.

“We typically start with safety planning – they often can’t live just anywhere. Domestic violence victims lack resources and require more time with case managers as they rebuild safety and stability.”

Blades says that finding housing can take anywhere from a few months to a couple of years.

“But waiting doesn’t mean waiting alone,” he says. “Through our network, more than 40 partner organizations, families receive immediate support including shelter placement, food assistance, healthcare and other vital services while they wait for more safe and stable housing.”

Of course, housing – and money – don’t grow on trees. The holiday season is over, but the needs are glaring for an organization that last year provided housing for 440 people. That includes 105 families and 208 children. Donations can be made through catchidaho.org.

“When you support CATCH, you’re not just helping families find housing,” says Ryan Den Heuvel, director of development. “You’re helping families rebuild, regain stability, and write a new chapter – one where their future is defined not by crisis, but by hope that can reshape their families’ trajectory for generations.”

LaRita Shepherd, for one, is an example of where “new chapters” can go.

Chuck Malloy, a long-time Idaho journalist and columnist, is a volunteer writer with the Idaho Community Foundation’s Nonprofit Center. He may be reached at ctmalloy@outlook.com

One thing seems certain about this year’s legislative session. With a daunting budget shortfall lying before them, it’s a good bet that trimming budgets will be high on the lawmakers’ “do” list.

That means saying “no” to a lot of heart-wrenching causes in state government and, perhaps, to nonprofits as well. Kevin Bailey, who heads the Idaho Community Foundation’s Nonprofit Center, is well aware of the challenges and lends a sympathetic eye to legislators who have to make hard decisions.

“It’s a difficult job,” he says. “There will be around 700 bills introduced, along with dozens and dozens of special interests making requests.”

The community foundation is one of the groups with a “policy agenda” for this session, but it’s one than legislators might be receptive to in this cost-cutting environment. Nonprofits receive almost no general-fund dollars.

“It’s largely maintaining appropriations for grants that are paid with federal dollars, such as Meals on Wheels for seniors,” Bailey says.

The center’s wish list includes maintaining property tax exemptions for nonprofits, supporting appropriations that enhance nonprofits’ ability to provide essential community services and keeping the federal and state tax codes friendly toward charitable giving. The agenda also backs initiatives that promote increasing the supply “of high-quality affordable childcare, policies that allow for innovative/pooled employee benefit solutions, and policies that ensure a stable and affordable health insurance market for employers, which affects all businesses (nonprofit and for-profit alike).”

Bailey says that Idaho legislators generally are supportive of nonprofits, and for good reason. “Idaho runs on nonprofits,” he says.

He makes a good point. Something I have learned in my 10 months writing about nonprofits is that this state is full of good people doing good things – with minimal, if any, help from the government. And this is what Bailey sees every day in his job.

“I think about it from the aspect of my own family life,” Bailey says. “Nonprofits are places of worship, after-school programs, childcare, places we send our kids for summer camps, the discovery center, the performances we see at the Morrison Center. Nonprofits are like oxygen … we take them for granted, but people will notice if you take them away and our communities will die off.”

For conservative-minded legislators, nonprofits help keep government small by providing social services that substantially are not paid by taxpayer dollars.

“Nonprofits are a good deal for the taxpayer because in many ways, they save the state from having to create its own programs,” Bailey says. “Not all nonprofits are perfect, certainly there are exceptions, but nonprofits are local, generally small and are well managed. Almost all have 10 to 25 board members who make decisions about the community and organizations that they shepherd. If that’s not democracy in action, then I don’t know what is.”

As with other groups, Bailey says, there are advocates at the Statehouse lobbying for the center’s policy agenda and other issues of interest to nonprofits. As Bailey sees it, there’s a critical need for having that presence.

“Nonprofits should be at the table when it comes to public policy,” he says. “If you are not at the table, then you’re on the menu.”

Chuck Malloy, a long-time Idaho journalist and columnist, is a volunteer writer with the Idaho Community Foundation’s Nonprofit Center. He may be reached at ctmalloy@outlook.com

Andrew Rogers is 33 years old, lives in an apartment in Sandpoint, works at the local Safeway store and is self-sufficient.

It’s a “normal” lifestyle by any measure – something that didn’t appear to be possible 12 years ago. Autism didn’t hold back Andrew and his life changed for the better when Panhandle Special Needs Inc. entered the picture.

As he explains, “It opened doors for things I couldn’t do. I learned how to manage a budget, shop, do housecleaning, how to cook different foods and how to do laundry.”

Megan Albertson, administrative assistant for Panhandle Special Needs, saw a much different person in 2013.

“When he first came to us, he struggled with anxiety, depression, low self-esteem and a fear of anything new. And that was in addition to his diagnosis of mild intellectual disability with a development age of about eight and a half years,” she said. “His parents were convinced he faced significant barriers to independence and would never be able to live on his own.”

Living on his own didn’t happen overnight – the special needs staff spent many hours, and Andrew spent a lot of classroom time, learning the basics of independent living. In 2017, he moved into his own apartment – beaming with pride – and by 2018 his goal was met.

“He proved to himself, his parents and our staff that he was fully capable of independent living, just like we knew he could,” says Albertson. “We continued to challenge him with more advanced skills – things like portion control, problem solving and cooking complex meals.”

Andrew’s parents moved to Arizona three years ago, and Andrew went with them for a brief period. He decided that he wanted to move back to Sandpoint.

“I couldn’t get into an apartment – it was literally impossible,” he said. “I couldn’t get a job and they didn’t have services for people with my level of disability. Here, they have everything.”

Look at him now, says Albertson. “He’s here, living 100 percent independently.”

Andrew’s is not the only success story within Panhandle Special Needs. The Sandpoint-based nonprofit organization has been around for 50 years, serving people with disabilities in Bonner and Boundary counties. Trinity Nicholson, the executive director for 25 years, has on file a long list of testimonials from participants, caregivers and even staff members who sing praises about the work environment. It all speaks well of the value of Panhandle Special Needs and Nicholson’s leadership.

PSNI serves about 200 clients a year, offering a wide range of services and employment opportunities. There are not a lot of places like this. Board members are unpaid and funding predominantly comes from Medicaid, with in-house programs providing some revenue. As with nonprofits in general, private donations play a big part in the service’s viability.

“We see people moving here from other states to get services,” Nicholson says. “We serve families, not just individuals. As demands grow, we don’t want to be just OK in doing a lot of things. We want to be really good at providing services.”

In the process, Bonner and Boundary counties are a better place to live. Over decades, Panhandle Special Needs has served scores of disabled people and, in many cases, sparing families from severe financial hardships. Andrew Rogers has an idea how his life would be without this service.

“I’d be living with my parents for the rest of my life.”

Chuck Malloy, a long-time Idaho journalist and columnist, is a writer with the Nonprofit Center, a program of The Idaho Community Foundation. He may be reached at ctmalloy@outlook.com