February 18th, 2016

With over 1,600 children abused in Idaho every year, it’s important that parents are educated and empowered in order to prevent child abuse.

 

https://www.facebook.com/idahochildrenstrustfund/videos/10153969829370742/

By: Kelsey McFarland February 8th, 2016

BOISE, Idaho (KBOI) — If your neighborhood is in need of some TLC, the City of Boise hands out $4 to $5 million a year to supportive services for low-income communities.

They’re called community development block grants, a combination of federal and local moneys. The city of Boise uses the funds to relieve its homeless and affordable housing needs.

Giraffe Laugh Early Learning Center is a partner of community development block grants. It’s funded in part by the grant, receiving $25,000 in 2015.

Jen Hamblin has been a single mother to her five-year-old son, Asher. She’s enrolled him in Giraffe Laugh so she can work and go to school to become a teacher.

“He just gets to do all that stuff that I sometimes wouldn’t have time or money for,” said Hamblin.

Hamblin is living off student loans, and child care typically isn’t cheap.

Giraffe Laugh eases that burden by providing scholarships based on family income.

“They never turn you away for lack of ability to pay for it,” she said.

Lori Fascilla, executive director of Giraffe Laugh Early Learning Center, says it helps uplift families out of poverty.

“It enables them to get housing and jobs and really get on their feet and then they would move to the next level and begin paying a little bit. We believe in educational justice. We want low income families to have access to the same quality that everyone else does,” Fascilla said.

As families become more independent, they’re able to contribute more to tuition.

“It’s really exciting to see families move through those stages of self-sufficiency because they got a hand up when they needed it,” Fascilla said.

Right now there are over 500 families on Giraffe Laugh’s waiting list who are in need of a hand-up, so like Jen and Asher, they can have a brighter future.

“Really it’s just giving me the opportunity to do what I want to do that’s going to be best for Asher and I,” said Hamblin.

Terry Reilly Health Services is another partner with community development block grants.

The medical center received over $82,000 in 2015. Those funds help match the cost to healthcare with the income and resources a family has.

“We do it on a sliding fee scale, so we figure out how much they can contribute as well to the cost of healthcare, and then the funds allow us to make up the difference so we can make sure they get good quality healthcare,” said Heidi Traylor, executive officer of Terry Reilly Health Services.

2016’s action plan was approved in July and is set to begin in October.

Watch the Video here >>

 

Giraffe Laugh’s waiting list grows as parents search for affordable care

By: Benton Alexander Smith November 13, 2015

The low-cost Treasure Valley child care provider Giraffe Laugh opened a fourth center in September, allowing it to clear 75 positions from its long waiting list.

The new center, at 3641 Market Place Lane, is the company’s largest, but even with the new building, Giraffe Laugh still has more than 500 children on its list.

The company can’t get ahead of the demand because the area lacks affordable quality child centers, said Beth Oppenheimer, executive director of the Idaho Association for the Education of Young Children.

“Quality comes at a cost. Having a good teacher-to-child ratio, making sure your child gets nutritious snacks and isn’t just watching TV all day; that all costs money,” Oppenheimer said. “It’s a vicious circle so we have programs like the YMCA and Giraffe Laugh that have assistance to help families cover the cost.”

The average cost of child care in the Treasure Valley is between $500 and $800 a month, and few centers can afford to offer assistance, said Idaho Stars child care resource specialist Amanda Mills.

To help families afford its care, Giraffe Laugh breaks its clients into four income-based groups. The higher-income clients don’t receive any aid, and the lowest-income can have their cost reduced by 60 percent to 80 percent. Under extreme circumstances, a family can receive free care for a short period of time.

“We have families who are homeless,” Giraffe Laugh executive director Lori Fascilla said. “How do you look for a job if you don’t have childcare and how do you get childcare if you don’t have money?”

The cost of attending Giraffe Laugh ranges from $300 to $800 depending on the age of the child and the time of day they are cared for. The cost of attendance pays for breakfast, lunch and a snack and for extracurricular activities such as zoo trips and ballet classes with Idaho Ballet.

All Giraffe Laugh attendees can participate in the activities.

“We help out wherever we can,” Fascilla said. “We have a food pantry where parents can take something home for the night or the weekend. We also have a diaper storage where we store toiletries, paper towels and bowls. The kinds of things food stamps can’t purchase.”

Giraffe Laugh has been nominated yet again for Best of Boise! Please cast your vote by August 31st.