Shepherd’s Inn ‘Win the Whole Cow Fundraiser’ directly supports new mothers and fathers

IDAHO FALLS — Nine months ago, 18-year-olds Mariah and Hunter were hardly holding connected — trying to past successful an Idaho wintertime successful an RV successful Rigby connected Mariah’s parents’ property.

“It did not periodically person moving water. Their power went retired aggregate times, and she was pregnant,” Shepherd’s Inn Program Director Alese Oakley said. “They came to america successful that situation, and we were like, ‘These group request lodging correct away.’”

Hunter was employed but did not gain capable to screen subsidized housing. The mates began moving pinch Shepherd’s Inn, a gestation support halfway successful Idaho Falls, seeking thief to amended their situation.

“The Shepherd’s Inn provides gestation and parenting resources, support, acquisition and babe items to young parents for free, (at) nary cost,” Oakley said.

The center, connected 437 Parkway Circle successful Idaho Falls, had received a aid successful January to group up a lodging money and wished that Hunter and Mariah would beryllium nan first beneficiaries.

“It was a no-brainer that they would beryllium nan clients for that,” Oakley said.

Hunter and Mariah moved into a two-bedroom flat successful March. They tin enactment for up to a twelvemonth and salary 30% of their income arsenic rent.

“Shepherd’s Inn has helped america ever since we first recovered retired astir our daughter,” Mariah and Hunter wrote. “Not only pinch items for her, but besides pinch helping america get retired of a camper and into an flat earlier our babe woman arrived. We … can’t definitive really overmuch their support has meant!”

Three months later, successful May, Mariah gave commencement to a patient babe girl.

“The babe is 4 months. She’s thriving. She’s doing great,” Oakley said. “They person their ain location — a spot wherever they tin dispersed out, return a shower, person moving water, person heat, person a spot for their babe to travel location to. Quiet, safe and unchangeable lodging was a immense game-changer for them.”

Mariah and Hunter are 2 of 12 first-time parents that Shepherd’s Inn is serving.

“They’re joined now. … He’s been having a full-time job,” Oakley said. “They person safe and unchangeable housing. They’re doing awesome — awesome parents, awesome parents.”

You tin thief parents for illustration Mariah and Hunter

The Shepherd’s Inn is launching its yearly “Win nan Whole Cow” fundraiser to support nan nonprofit’s activity pinch caller parents. The expansive prize is 700 pounds of beef from a “locally raised steer, donated by Melaleuca, trim and packaged” that’s worthy $5,000. It comes pinch a $700 freezer to clasp nan beef.

Additional winners will beryllium drawn for $5,000 successful gift baskets, state cards and gift cards donated by section businesses.

To participate successful nan drawing, you tin bargain tickets for $5 apiece, 5 tickets for $20, 10 tickets for $40, aliases 20 tickets for $100 astatine https://shepherdsinn.org/win-the-whole-cow.

Tickets tin beryllium purchased done Oct. 31. The halfway judge costs via Venmo, PayPal aliases cash/check. The drafting for nan cattle will beryllium held nan first week of November, and winners will beryllium announced connected nan Shepherd’s Inn Facebook page.

In past years, nan effort has raised up to $15,000 to support nan center’s operations.

The nonprofit is besides expanding opportunities for section businesses to thief sponsor its work.

• “Purple Ribbon Sponsors” will person their logo and photograph connected societal media and each Shepherd’s Inn arena materials, on pinch 20 raffle tickets for $1000+.
• Blue Ribbon Sponsorships are disposable for $500, and see nan aforesaid benefits pinch 15 free raffle tickets.
• Red Ribbon sponsors will person their photograph and logo promoted connected societal media on pinch 10 free raffle tickets for $250.

“We’ve already gotten astir $3,500 successful sponsorships frankincense far,” Oakley said.

For further accusation aliases to donate a prize, you tin telephone (208) 525-2014.

For 25 years, nan halfway has relied connected donations, fundraisers and grants to thief service young couples and individuals experiencing gestation for nan first time.

“We are passionate astir helping young parents hole for their babies’ commencement and navigate nan challenges of parenthood,” Executive Director Julie Zahn said successful a release. “We couldn’t supply these services without nan generous outpouring of organization support.”

All costs raised assistance nan Shepherd’s Inn’s programs and efforts.

“We activity pinch young parents who are having a babe one-on-one passim their gestation — up to six months to a twelvemonth aft nan baby’s born,” Oakley said. “(We) supply acquisition connected babe care, labour and delivery, budgeting, prenatal nutrition — each of that.”

Each mates develops a personalized parenting scheme covering “housing, employment, supports, aesculapian attraction and continuing education. We group up goals and thief them execute those goals, and past they gain babe items done nan program,” Oakley said.

Couples person car seats, diapers and wipes and tin gain babe furniture, apparel and different items.

Some couples take to prosecute adoption, and nan halfway useful intimately pinch Adoption Life to support them successful that process.

This year, nan Shepherd’s Inn is importantly expanding its program for young fathers. It precocious added a third, part-time counsellor and is serving 3 young men.

Hunter is simply a beardown illustration of a man has stepped up to clasp and enjoys his caller responsibilities arsenic a father, Oakley said.

“He’s 1 of nan first fathers who’s been conscionable really supportive, really accordant and really responsible,” Oakley said. “So moving pinch them arsenic a mates and conscionable seeing him supply nan support that’s needed arsenic a begetter is huge.”