IEA Children’s Fund helps hundreds every yearWhat is the IEA Children’s Fund?The IEA Children’s Fund is a special fund devoted to providing financial assistance – be it money, clothes, food, school supplies, or health care services – to Idaho public school children and their families who face extraordinary needs. The Fund is a 501(c)(3) organization and contributions are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law. The IEA does not reveal the names of the members requesting grants nor of the students for whom the grants are requested. Back to top What is the history of the Fund?The Idaho Education Association recognizes that many students in our public schools are struggling. They live without the basic necessities of food, clothing, eyeglasses, and doctors’ visits, despite the availability of social assistance programs. We wanted a vehicle to pool our resources and be able to dispense these funds quickly. So the representatives at the 1996 IEA Delegate Assembly voted unanimously in favor of creating this fund. In fact, after the vote, a number of local associations stepped up and donated a total of $1,184.74 on the spot to get the Fund started. In the past 11 years, almost $700,000 has been given away to in fulfilling nearly 3,000 grants. Back to top How can I help?We have provided a voluntary check-off space on the IEA membership enrollment form to enable your tax-deductible contribution to be included with your monthly payroll deduction. If you would prefer to make a cash contribution, you may do so by sending your check made payable to IEA Children’s Fund, c/o Idaho Education Association, PO Box 2638, Boise, ID 83701. You can also
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for more information. Back to top Does the Fund accept memorial donations?Yes. You can make a memorial donation to the Fund in the name of a loved one. This memorial contribution will be recognized on a perpetual plaque housed in the IEA headquarters’ office, if an individual or accumulated amount in honor of a loved one totals at least $100. A special memorial plaque for pets that are a part of your family is also available. Your pet can be memorialized for $100. Memorial donations are acknowledged. Back to top How do I make a request for a grant?You are just a phone call away! There is never any red tape or lengthy delay for members who want to access the Fund. We only have two rules for honoring donation requests: 1) the request must come from an IEA member, and 2) there must be a sufficient balance in the Fund. That’s it! Call the IEA headquarters at (208) 344-1341 or 1-800-727-9922 and your request will be processed, generally within two weeks. All requests are handled discreetly and in confidence, so the recipients are not embarrassed by the donations. In fact, often it is the member involved who actually delivers the needed services. It’s the personal nature of the Fund’s operation that sets it apart from most traditional sources of financial assistance. When requesting a grant, please have the following information ready: - Child’s grade level/age
- Approximate amount of money requested
- Description of assistance needed
Virtually all administrative and staff costs of the Fund are paid by the Idaho Education Association. That means that nearly 100% of your contribution will reach our students in need. Since its establishment, the Fund has responded to requests from members for aid in a wide variety of circumstances. Back to top What has the Fund done lately for students?Here are just two examples. #1: I want to share the “success” that we were able to have because of the Children’s Fund. “Julio” is a sixth grade student in my homeroom. He comes from a very large family that does not have insurance. He came to me from another class telling me that his tooth had broken and was hurting. I asked if I could see the tooth, and sure enough, it was broken--right down to the gum line. The remains still showed a great deal of decay. Knowing the family situation somewhat, I began asking if there was a way to fund getting him to the dentist. Our local Association president wasn’t sure if dental help was available through the Children's Fund, but she had known of other situations, besides glasses, that funding was available for. So, I called to find out. From there, everything fell right into place. Our counselor was able to set up a dentist appointment for that same day--in fact, just an hour later. By noon, the work was finished and “Julio” was on the mend. (The visit also made us aware of other work he needs to have done, so we will be looking into the Children’s Caring Foundation for this family.) Back to “Julio.” He put in a couple of sore days, as we could expect, but he has healed and now the pain is gone. He told me a couple of days after the extraction, “Teacher, I really like this school. You guys take good care of us.” It made me feel good that I was able to help, but I couldn’t have done it without the Children’s Fund. What a blessing it is for the children, and those of us that work with them. Thanks for being there. #2: Recently an IEA member requested a donation from the Children’s Fund for summer clothing for five children in a family after she noticed the oldest student wearing winter clothing on 85-degree days. The IEA member, five children, and their mother went shopping and picked out clothes. They were fortunate enough to have an incredibly cheerful cashier who joked with the kids and went through a “clothes folding” lesson while she placed things into bags. The children stood at the edge of her count like dominoes, smallest to tallest, with eyes wide, waiting for their turn to get their bag into the cart. All of the children loved the clean, new clothing – shorts, shirts, underwear, socks, sandals and swim suits that will be put to good use during the summer and in future years as the clothes are handed down from one sibling to another. The mother told the IEA member that it will be wonderful for her daughters to have “girl clothes” instead of the hand-me-downs from older brothers. How exciting for each girl to have her own sundress! Back to top Is the Fund supported by other individuals and groups?Yes. Although the overwhelming majority of the donations to the Fund come from IEA members, there are other people and organizations who help make the IEA Children’s Fund possible. They include: - Jeff Beem – Rosehill Coins & Jewelry
- Scott McNeely
- Louis and Karen Fuess
- Alpha Delta Kappa – Region 4
- Alta Forster
- Alpha Delta Kappa – Region 8
- Albertsons Community Partners (see below)
- Alpha Delta Kappa – Idaho XI Chapter
- Alpha Delta Kappa Gamma
- Lewiston Rotary Club
- Idaho School Psychologists Association
- Idaho Industrial Commission Employees
- Anne Lim -- Christmas Tree Fantasy, United Way
- Staples
- Delta Kappa Zeta
- 2001 Buy.com Boise Open
Back to top Does the Fund participate in the Albertson Community Partners program?Yes. You can help out the IEA Children’s Fund every time you shop at an Albertsons store. The Albertsons Community Partners card program gives donations to non-profit organizations. Every time you used your IEA Children’s Fund/Albertsons Community Partners card, a portion of the proceeds is credited to the Fund. Then, Albertsons sends a check quarterly to the IEA Children’s Fund. To get your card, call the IEA office at (208) 344-1341 or 1-800-727-9922. Back to top
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