BOISE, Idaho — Foster Care Furniture was founded about two years ago and it’s an organization dedicated to help foster kids that age out of the system.
Bruce Wingate, Founder and President of the nonprofit, started with the help of two local businesses and this year he got an extra helping hand from the Idaho Workforce Development Council.
For the past couple of years, it’s been Wingate providing the money for the 13-week program which provides foster care youth access to carpentry, construction and woodworking.
This year, the nonprofit received a $50,000 grant from the development council to pay for everything needed which includes paying for instructors and the space for the classes, provided by the maker shop located in Boise.
This 13-week woodworking program is free to the trainees. the grant has enabled the program to offer students the opportunity to earn $15 an hour while attending the course, if the trainee meets the Idaho department of labor qualifications. It will help also provide guidance with housing, food assistance and more to help foster kids transition into adulthood.
“I picked the foster care program because it was in my head and I was exposed to the difficulties that a lot of the kids have had been,” Wingate said. “They've been in [since] 18 and the support runs out in many cases.”
The students will build all kinds of furniture with this training that are then sold on their website and the proceeds go towards helping foster care programs across the state.
After completing the course, the students will get a letter of accreditation and also participate in a job fair where the students will meet employers.
Wingate said Idaho sees about 300 to 500 foster children aging out every year and the National Opinion Research Center says full transition to adulthood doesn't happen until the age of 26.
People can donate or get more information at fostercarefurniture.com.
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