The Power of Community
Many of us who lived here in the Treasure Valley know that this community is a special place to live.
Compared to many other cities, this area has a strong sense of community and care for our neighbors and future quality of life. Treasure Valley residents are here to stay, and they're invested here.
The power of our community is what has continued to lift Jesse Tree up over the last few years - through a pandemic, 40% rent increase, federal funding fiscal cliff, and more. Despite many obstacles, we continue to serve around 100 families in the eviction process each month - most of them supported directly by members of our community.
The Treasure Valley again demonstrated this power last week when three local women organized a benefit concert, Music for a Cause, for Jesse Tree.
There was no auction, no strict program - just live music, food, and a three-minute speech from our Executive Director in a neighbor's backyard.
So far, the event has raised enough funds to prevent eviction for over twenty families in the Treasure Valley. How amazing to see the collective strength our community has when we come together.
Many of us who have stable housing can sometimes get comfortable. It's easy to go about your day without realizing how many of our neighbors are at a critical tipping point in their lives.
We come to work every day to serve people at this tipping point, of course. But the event also reminded us how important it is to continue to sound the alarm on our local housing crisis and potential solutions.
We can keep homelessness from happening to many people with a simple investment during their greatest time of need. In this survey of over 3,000 people who are homeless in California, researchers found that a one-time payment would have kept many in their homes.
Many people like you who support us continue to see the timeliness of this intervention for our community. Investments in our mission will be more important than ever before as federal funding expires, as covered by the Idaho Statesman and Boise State Public Radio.
We're so grateful to have you, and the three women who held this event to help others see the value in what we're doing, too. They share their thoughts and feelings on the event - and Jesse Tree's mission - below.
Pictured above L-R: Tabatha Simmonds, Suzanne Stigers, and Suzanne Long
Ali: What inspired you to start Music for a Cause?
Tabatha: It was a collaborative effort. I did a sponsorship for my kids' school auction, and we held a backyard concert with local musicians and food trucks. It was a truly incredible, magical night, and we all stood around talking about it afterwards. We felt so fortunate to do it and said, "Wouldn't it be great to do it again?" So we came up with the concept that night.
Suzanne S. (laughing): I think we even came up with the name that night!
Tabatha: You know, music is powerful. It's not political, it doesn't exclude, it's community oriented, it brings people together. Why not use that power to share with people the heart and values of local nonprofits and also raise some money in the process? And it's unique too! Galas tend to all feel the same: silent auction, live auction, all similar styles. How can we be different? And fun?
Ali: Why did you choose Jesse Tree as this year's sponsor?
Suzanne S.: Our tagline for Jesse Tree is that it's the best value proposition there is in the Treasure Valley. I've been reading the studies coming out that the vast majority of homelessness can be prevented by even just a $200 or $300 stipend in a period of high stress. That's it.
Tabatha: And I think what's very clear to both of us, to all of us, is that we're at a critical crossroads to get the message out. We live in such a beautiful place. How do we keep it a special place? How do we prevent it from becoming dark and sad and helpless?
Ali: One of my personal biggest takeaways from the night was how much neighbors in the Treasure Valley care about people. It was a wonderful opportunity to remind people that aren't face-to-face with eviction and homelessness that this is happening, it's relevant, and it can be devastating. What were your personal takeaways?
Suzanne S.: Prior to learning about Jesse Tree and hearing about what you guys do, I was entrenched in efforts for when people are already homeless. That's where my focus was. Focusing so much on putting the fire out that you don't even remember how the fire got started. What I began to realize is that we don't have to get to that point.
Tabatha: What entices me is wondering about how to rewrite the narrative. This is a large issue that everyone - politicians, developers, builders, tenants - have a stake in. Could we even be an example for other cities? We are better than all of this. There is more than enough money, and people just need to understand the process. Do people want to be responsible for the $53,000 that people living on the street cost tax payers or for $2,000, the cost of keeping a family housed?