Thousand Hills Foundation in Emmett is doing more than meeting basic needs for children entering foster care it is helping them feel at home.Becky Cupp, founder of the non-profit organization, Thousand Hills Foundation, said ch ildren often arrive with little to nothing."More often than not, they're coming with the clothing on their backs. Occasionally, they're able to bring some of their stuff, but if they do, they go into a trash bag."The organization provides backpacks sorted by size and gender, each filled with hygiene items including 3-in-1 shampoo, body wash, a loofah, toothpaste, and a toothbrush. Every backpack also includes new underwear, new socks, pajamas, 3 to 5 days' worth of clothing, a blanket, and a stuffed animal for comfort. Some of the blankets are handmade and donated by community members.The foundation has partnered with the local police department so officers can call ahead when a child is coming into care."They can call us at any time and say, hey, we've got a kiddo coming in that's this size and they like red, and we can give them, you know, something that hopefully they like that'll just help with that transition time," Cupp said. Watch to learn more about the non-profit organization: Thousand Hills Foundation. Thousand Hills Foundation supports foster kids and families in EmmettThat partnership also helps foster families who do not always have the right supplies on hand when a child arrives unexpectedly."While they plan for as much as they can, it is not uncommon for a family that's expecting to take in a 5-year-old to take in a 10-year-old, and they don't have the right size clothing for anything like that," Cupp said.The foundation has also delivered backpacks directly to families in need, including a late-night drop-off for a little girl arriving at her new home."We dropped off a bag about the time she was coming out of the bathtub, so it was perfect. She had new pajamas to put on and something comfy to go to bed in," Cupp said.Once a family is settled, they can visit the foundation to shop for additional clothing and supplies at no cost. The foundation carries clothing from preemie sizes through 4X in men's and women's sizes, as well as shoes and toys."They can shop and get whatever it is that they like, and everything is free. We've been really blessed, the community has donated so much stuff," Cupp said.The foundation's reach extends from Twin Falls through 86 counties in Oregon. Foster coordinators can request bulk shipments, and the foundation has delivered as many as 75 backpacks at a time for police departments and coordinators to distribute as needed. Since opening, the foundation has given out over 600 backpacks in under 2 years.Around prom and homecoming season, Thousand Hills Foundation opens its doors to all foster kids who want to attend, offering dresses and men's attire at no cost. The program is also open to the broader community so that any student who wants to attend prom can do so, regardless of cost.The foundation also supports young adults aging out of the foster care system, providing furniture, bedding, kitchen supplies, and other household necessities for those moving into new homes."When they age out, they're getting new places to live in, and when they go into a new place, they don't always have everything that they need, and they don't always know what they need," Cupp said.She recalled one young man who thought he only needed a few things for his new studio apartment."He said that he had, he just needed a couple things, and I probed a little, and I said, so what do you have? And he said, well, I have a bed, and I have a TV.""You still want a little something that makes it homey," Cupp said.The foundation also serves kinship families; relatives who take in children without always being fully prepared."We have things like twin-size beds and cribs and dressers so that when a family gets in a situation where they're like, yes, we're willing to take in these children, we just don't have everything set up, we can help out with that as well," Cupp said.During the holiday season, the foundation fulfills Christmas wish lists submitted by foster coordinators on behalf of children in the system. Last December, the foundation fulfilled 189 lists. It has also stepped in to help a local women's shelter in Oregon when needs arose at the last minute."People were calling us the week of Christmas and saying we had new kids come into the foster system, or we had this influx in our women's shelter. Could you fill these needs? And we were able to," Cupp said.The foundation has also connected with local schools, attending open houses at True North and Butte View to share information about available resources and distribute vouchers so families in need could get clothing and backpacks before the school year started.The need in the community extends beyond foster care. Emmett School District Superintendent Craig Woods said the district supports its homeless student population through McKinney-Vento resources, a backpack program, and a summer lunch program."Between 5 and 6% of our population is designated or categorized as homeless."That figure represents approximately 150 students, a number Woods said fluctuates as foster students move in and out of the district. He said the district has grown better at identifying and supporting those students, though some choose not to accept help."It doesn't matter who walks through our door, we're going to educate them, and we're going to try to support them, however that is," Woods said."That includes not only being welcomed at school but also being fed and taken care of. So we try our best," Woods added.The district's summer meal program is open to anyone ages 0 to 18 and is typically offered at the high school. Woods said the district also wants families to feel comfortable reaching out to community school coordinators for support."We want them to feel comfortable coming to our community schools coordinators asking for support when they need it, and I think that's the biggest thing, is we're here for the community," Woods said.Growth in donations has been a blessing for Thousand Hills Foundation, though Cupp said the organization is feeling the squeeze of its current space."We started with just this one room, and now we have several rooms, and as you can see, they're completely packed full of stuff, which is great for the kids coming in, just makes it a little harder for us to move and expand the way we're wanting to."Thousand Hills Foundation is currently looking to expand its space to serve even more families. The foundation also plans to attend a community event at Kleiner Park on June 4 and is working toward hosting a gala, though a date has not yet been set.Those interested in donating items can drop them off at the front door during open hours, Wednesday through Friday from 1 to 3 p.m. Families and foster coordinators can also reach out to schedule a visit outside of regular hours.To visit the Thousand Hills Foundation website, click here. ...read more read less