Boise housing organization seeks donations for people experiencing homelessness in summer heat
CATCH is a Boise-based nonprofit housing organization that seeks to end homelessness in the Treasure Valley. (File photo courtesy of CATCH)
With the onset of summer heat, a Boise-based housing organization is asking the public to donate emergency summer supplies to be distributed to people experiencing homelessness in Ada County.
The Boise nonprofit CATCH is seeking donations of sports drinks, reusable water bottles, socks, sleeping bags, sunblock, bug spray, bicycle lights, underwear and hygiene items for its 'Beat the summer heat' campaign, CATCH Outreach Team Lead Connor O'Hora said.
SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
CATCH's outreach team spends three days a week traveling through Ada County by bicycle and van delivering supplies to people experiencing homelessness.
'We've already broken the record and hit 100 degrees in May in Idaho, so we can expect a hot summer where people will be struggling with heat-related illnesses,' O'Hora said in a phone interview Tuesday. 'As we make contact, we want to be able to offer people something to keep cool and safe while they get started in the direction they feel is appropriate.'
CONTACT US
O'Hora said many of the items CATCH is seeking for donations can help people and families endure short-term hardships as they work with CATCH team members to get connected to additional support services like shelters, health care facilities and food banks.
With summer coming, O'Hora said the need is great and the population of people experiencing homelessness in the Treasure Valley is on the rise.
More than 1,800 households are experiencing homelessness in the Treasure Valley, CATCH estimates. The group defines households as any of the nonprofit's clients who are seeking to live together, including traditional families, single parents, individuals and couples.
Last year, CATCH ended homelessness for a record 486 people, including 223 children and 114 families, he said.
'There is a great need, and we are seeing our population growing in key demographics,' O'Hora said. 'We see our population is aging and many folks who are living in their vehicles or are staying outside had been renting for five, 10 or even 15 years and then they got priced out of their housing or it was sold to a different property management company.'
To donate, people may:
Drop off donations at the CATCH office at 503. S. Americana Blvd., in Boise from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday through Friday.
Purchase items online through CATCH's Amazon wish list.
Visit catchidaho.org to make a financial donation.
SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Buzz Feed
9 hours ago
- Buzz Feed
Reviewers Love This Emergency Gadget To Prep For Storms
With global warming at an all-time high, the climate has become increasingly unpredictable, exhibiting a range of extreme weather patterns. If you're feeling the pressure to go into full survivalist mode to prepare for upcoming storms, it may give you peace of mind to have some tools that could help you navigate weather hazards with ease. Whether you're preparing for hurricane season or a camping trip, a flashlight, radio, and portable charger are essential items to have on hand. This emergency radio comes equipped with those features and more, making this multi-purpose device a must-have for life's unpredictable moments. 'If the internet is down, your phone battery's dead or you have to leave your house for shelter, having a special battery- or hand-powered weather radio that transmits NOAA Weather Radio (NWR) can keep you up to date without needing Wi-Fi or an outlet,' wrote shopping reporter Griffin Wynne in a previous roundup of weather radios. The multi-purpose radio comes with a 3-mode flashlight to help navigate dark nights and power outages, an emergency SOS button that sounds an alarm to alert rescuers, and a radio that'll keep you connected to all weather stations. It also offers various charging options, including hand cranking, solar charging, and USB. You can charge your phone and other devices, ensuring you remain connected in the event of a power outage. See more of what reviewers had to say below: Get it from Amazon for $39.99.
USA Today
5 days ago
- USA Today
Capsized boat accident on Lake Tahoe: What we know
This story has been updated. A powerboat capsized Saturday, June 21, on Lake Tahoe amid a sudden afternoon storm, leaving eight passengers dead and two rescued More: Breaking: One of two missing boaters in Lake Tahoe tragedy found dead Sunday night by sheriff Here's what we know about the incident as of 11:30 a.m. on Tuesday, June 24. What kind of boat capsized on Lake Tahoe? According to Coast Guard officials, the boat was a gold 27-foot vessel built by Chris-Craft, a Florida-based powerboat manufacturer. Where did the boat capsize on Lake Tahoe? The boat capsized off the shoreline near D.L. Bliss State Park on the southwest side of Lake Tahoe. Who were the passengers on the Lake Tahoe boat that capsized? The El Dorado Sheriff's Office, which is leading the investigation into the boating accident, released the names of the eight victims. They are: Joshua Pickles was an executive with food delivery platform DoorDash. Here's a closer look at those who died. Were passengers on the capsized boat on Lake Tahoe wearing life jackets? There was no immediate information about if any of the boaters were wearing life jackets. It's recommended that personal flotation devices be worn while aboard motorized vessels, but California law requires them only for passengers 13 years of age and younger. Coast Guard-approved life vests must be carried and readily accessible for each passenger if the vessel is 16 feet or longer. The 27-foot Chris-Craft boat would fall under this definition. The National Park Service warns that water temperatures below 70 degrees can cause hypothermia within minutes. In 50-degree water, a person can survive for about 10 minutes before being unable to save themself, NPS said. With a life jacket, someone might survive for an hour before hypothermia sets in. The Tahoe Environmental Research Center at UC-Davis is reporting the alpine lake's water temperature is just over 58 degrees on Sunday. What were weather conditions like when the boat capsized on Lake Tahoe? The boat that capsized was just one of many that were damaged by the sudden storm on Saturday. The National Weather Service reported a temperature drop at nearby Emerald Bay from 50° F at noon to 38° F at 3 p.m., approximately the time the boat capsized. Wind gusts topped 35 mph, with snow and rain falling in the immediate area; swells were reported as high as eight feet. Which agencies responded to the capsized boat on Lake Tahoe? The El Dorado Sheriff's Office is the lead agency for rescue and investigation efforts, and several other agencies also have assisted. Coast Guard personnel responded to initial reports of the capsized boat and launched an air search Saturday afternoon into Sunday morning. Seasonal lifeguards on nearby beaches also responded to the incident. Where is Lake Tahoe? Lake Tahoe is a freshwater lake high in the Sierra Nevada range, straddling the border between Nevada and California. It trails only the Great Lakes in total water volume and is renowned for its clarity. The majority of its surface area, including the site of the boat accident, is in California. Since 1969, Nevada and California have worked to address issues regarding development and environmental concerns through the Bi-State Compact and the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency. What are conditions like at Lake Tahoe this week? A sudden shift in the weather brought unseasonably cool temperatures to the region and dropped snow to the Sierra on the first full day of summer on Saturday, June 21, and adverse weather conditions are expected to continue for the coming days. The National Weather Service predicts a slight chance of showers and thunderstorms for the Lake Tahoe area through Tuesday, with clear skies and daytime highs in the 60s and 70s through Sunday.
Business Wire
6 days ago
- Business Wire
Home Gardeners Highly Concerned about
MINNEAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Home gardener concerns about droughts and watering bans remain high as heat domes happen throughout the nation this summer. Despite these concerns, many homeowners say they are largely unaware of water-saving products for their lawns and gardens, according to a new study from Axiom. 'Concerns about keeping lawns and garden plants alive are high,' says Mike Reiber, CEO of Axiom, a Minneapolis-based market research firm that measures consumer attitudes on home and garden topics. 'Home gardeners are keenly interested in identifying solutions during summer droughts and watering bans.' Key findings in the newly released 2025 report include: 2 of 3 respondents are concerned about their lawns and garden plants being damaged or dying during droughts and watering bans. 4 in 5 respondents are highly interested in products that can reduce the amount of water they need to apply on their lawns and gardens. 6 in 10 respondents are unaware of lawn and garden products that will reduce the amount of water they need to apply to their lawns and gardens. A recent turf study completed by the University of California Riverside shows how a new generation of soil wetting agents formulated for home gardeners can help save water. The study led by Dr. James Baird evaluated the effectiveness of turf care products for maintaining or improving the quality of bermuda grass under deficit irrigation conditions. In the test, Baird and his team reduced the amount of water used to irrigate test plots by 20% and 40% of the normal irrigation needed throughout the months of July, August, September and October. Throughout this period, Baird's team assessed visual turf quality on a 9-point scale as well as turf color and turf density. Baird's most recent test included two different formulations of new residential soil wetting agent now available to homeowners. Results demonstrated significantly higher turf quality, color and density when compared to untreated bermuda grass under 20-40% irrigation reduction. Because of this, Baird believes these formulations can potentially save up to 40% of the water normally used to irrigate turf depending on the desired level of quality and playability. The formulations were developed by Aqua-Drive Residential, a subsidiary of Utah-based Diamond K Gypsum which makes agricultural soil amendment products. 'Soil wetting agents are widely used in agriculture and sports turf to increase water penetration and distribution in the soil,' says Mason Allred, Aqua-Drive marketing manager. 'We've formulated Aqua-Drive Residential specifically for lawns and gardens.' According to Allred, Aqua-Drive products are now available at: and IFA Country Stores.
