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Services
What we do...
For 25 years, Aid For Friends has provided the greater Pocatello area a true respite for people that otherwise would be sleeping in the streets, in parks or other places not intended for human habitation.
Our agency has grown from offering a small shelter to offering a continuum of care that includes programs, services, resources, and, most importantly, hope, to all those dealing with or threatened with the prospect of homelessness.
Emergency Shelter: Located at 653 S. 4th Avenue in Pocatello, the Emergency Shelter offers a secure and clean place to sleep, meals, laundry facilities, showers, and clothing and personal hygiene items. The Emergency Shelter is open 365 days a year, 24 hours a day. In 2008, 427 people were sheltered, 42 of who were children with one or both parents or guardians. There were 8,278 total bed nights in 2008, and we served an estimated 8,500 evening meals.
Aid For Friends has the only homeless shelter in Southeast Idaho that accepts the diverse demographics of people without a targeted population. We also provide overflow shelter for homeless veterans, victims of domestic violence and those awaiting admittance to specialized mental health or addiction programs.
Case Management: After an initial meeting to establish individual goals and priorities, the case manager assists clients in identifying and networking with other community resources, securing employment and applying for necessary medical and/or social services. After finding employment, permanent and affordable housing is the next vital step for clients staying at the Emergency Shelter. We partner with other social services providers in the surrounding area to ensure that clients receive all support and services available to them and that duplication of services does not occur.
Transitional Housing Program: Aid For Friends oversees a transitional housing program intended to take a homeless person or family out of the shelter and, eventually, into a permanent home setting. We are the property managers for 11 housing units. Participants in this program must attend weekly case management meetings, financial fitness classes and other living skills training courses, as well as comply with home inspections. Participants may pay up to 30% of their adjusted monthly gross income as rent, which is put into a reserve account and used for permanent housing expenses and moving costs upon successful completion of the program. Since inception, over 175 people have participated in the transitional housing program, including 30 families with children.
Representative Payee Program: Aid For Friends administers an authorized representative payee program through the Social Security Administration. The payee program plays a vital role in serving the needs of elderly, veterans and the disabled by managing the finances of those who are unable to handle their money. As the designated payee, we have the fiduciary obligation to establish a separate accounting system and ledger for each client, in order to make payments for rent, utility bills and other expenses, as well as weekly allowances for groceries and personal spending.
The representative payee program is responsible for over $450,000 of clients' personal funds, making it the largest payee program in Southeast Idaho. Our program currently serves over 250 clients throughout Idaho and Utah, processing over 1,000 checks on their behalf monthly. This program has prevented many people from becoming homeless through eviction or other legal repercussions due to the client's inability to manage personal finances.
PVIF Emergency Fund: In 2001, the Portneuf Valley Interfaith Fellowship (PVIF), consisting of the area's faith community, requested that Aid For Friends manage its emergency funding program. Religious leaders realized that church staff was not equipped to adequately monitor requests for gas vouchers, utility assistance, prescription and medical expenses, local transportation, and bus tickets. A checking account for the fund was opened into which participating congregations contribute. We maintain request records and dispense funds as authorized by the PVIF. A person may receive assistance from the fund once every six months. Aid For Friends processes at least 20 requests each month from the PVIF Emergency Fund.
Community Involvement & Leadership: Aid For Friends is deeply involved with community activities and plays a leadership role in local organizations and coalitions. The following is a synopsis of those activities:
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Homeless and Housing Coalition of Southeast Idaho, Chair
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Idaho Homeless Coordination Committee, Active Member
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Pocatello Transitional Housing Cooperative, Coordinator
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Partners For Prosperity, Adult Education Committee Member
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Center For New Directions, Advisory Committee
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Portneuf Valley Interfaith Fellowship, Honorary Member
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Federal Emergency Management Agency, Bannock County Board
Copyright © 2009 Aid For Friends, All Rights Reserved