BOISE, Idaho — For 17 years the Faces of Hope Victim Center has provided valuable resources to victims of trauma. The center, located in downtown Boise, provides wraparound services for survivors of domestic violence, rape, sexual assault, and related trauma incidents. The center is unique in the sense that is hosts a collection of public and private partners that can assist people in need in a single location.
One of the partners inside the center includes the Family Advocacy Center and Education Services (FACES) foundation. The FACES foundation and the FACES Victim Center are unique entities that share a common name.
The Foundation steps in to help with things that public entities cannot. Assistance for victims like gas and food cards, hotel vouchers, and clothing to name a few. The foundation also operates a website that encompasses the Victim Center and its resources.
On Friday, December 15th the FACES Foundation was notified that their presence at the center, an Ada County owned building, would be ending.
In an extended letter signed by the Ada County Board of Commissioners, the FACES Foundation was informed that, “it is in the best interest of victims and Ada County taxpayers that the Foundation vacate the FACES building by January 30, 2024.”
The letter details issues seen by Ada Commissioners and other partners housed at the center.
The letter highlights that the Foundation has not signed and returned the FY2024 License Agreement despite several months of discussions. They also say the Foundation insists on using the "FACES" name for its new Meridian location, going against objections from FACES partners that believe the Meridian name and location will confuse victims and delay services.
“Instead of signing the Agreement, as has been done for many years, the Foundation instead requested multiple significant changes to the Agreement, which signal a clear indication that the Foundation has made the decision to move away from the integrated partnership,” the Ada County letter stated.
Commissioners also point to the Foundation prominently placing their phone number on the FACES Center website instead of the main FACES phone number. They said the Foundation did that without consulting partners and claim it has already caused confusion.
The essential bottom-line in the letter, Commissioner, partners, and some advocates believe that the mentioned issues signal the Foundation's shift away from an integrated FACES partnership towards focusing on its own victim services.
The commissioners letter furthers, “The FACES partners remain optimistic that despite the Foundation’s shift in focus, our organizations will continue to work together to support the needs of all victims and provide this crucial community service.”
The FACES foundation is working to determine next steps and will meet this week to address the eviction and transition to their Meridian location. Faces of Hope Foundation Executive Director Paige Dinger wrote to KTVB saying they, “are working quickly to ensure that our services continue with as little impact on our clients as possible. They have been through enough trauma already.”
With the move out date set for the end of January, Dinger said their Meridian location will be opening shortly; they are in the middle of renovations now and will open our doors sometime in January.
Faces of Hope Foundation addressed concerns about the name of their upcoming Meridian location in a letter to concerned community leaders and partners back in November.
The letter explains why they are calling the new location FACES.
“Research indicates that a name change will lead to confusion and hinder our ability to help those in need of our services. The name recognition and trust we have built, with your partnership, means we will be able to help more victims, not fewer," the letter states.
The Foundation also addressed concerns that victims would go to the Meridian location for assistance when they would be better served at the Downtown Boise office, because they don’t know what location offers what.
“Our Meridian location will ultimately result in more people seeking help, where Faces of Hope Foundation will coordinate as needed with clients to get them to services in the downtown location. Faces of Hope Foundation will always put victims first and address the gravity of the potential consequences by getting more people access to the care they so desperately need,” the letter stated.
In addition the letter stated the foundation team has concerns that people in Meridian, Star, Kuna, and Eagle are not getting the services they need. The name, FACES, is something they hoped people in need would be able to find and connect with easily.
“Our perception is that people in West Ada and beyond will not be able to find us and obtain needed services without the name recognition that, together, we have cultivated in our community,” the letter stated.
Dinger did add the Foundation has been concerned about the environment in the downtown location for a while.
She said she was, “surprised by the County's decision, as we thought we were still in the negotiation process; with that said, we have a lot of decisions to make to ensure the continuation of services.”
Addressing the license agreement, the essential ‘lease’ that the Foundation signs every year to use the building, Dinger said they had been working on negotiations.
“Our organization has been negotiating a renewal of the agreement we share with the county in good faith, and we had expected that process to result in a mutually satisfactory agreement creating an optimal environment….This notice is the first time any intention to either stop the agreement negotiation or remove our services from county property has been mentioned,” Dinger said.
The foundation said they regret that the county has decided to move on without the needed services provided by the Faces of Hope Foundation.
Faces of Hope Foundation explains they address six types of abuse and neglect: domestic violence, sexual assault, elder abuse, stalking, human trafficking, and child abuse.
The Foundation said they are the only resource in the Treasure Valley that provides that type of immediate crisis care for free.
For perspective on the impact of their work in 2022, Dinger stated Faces of Hope Foundation provided services to 1,366 unique clients in 4,820 visits. Visits include but are not limited to counseling, legal advocacy, and receiving support resources.
To be clear, the FACES victim center will continue to operate with partners like local law enforcement and medical groups. The Faces of Hope Foundation will simply move on to their new location.
Dinger said the foundation will share more about their next steps in the coming weeks. Until then, victims can be assured that Faces of Hope Foundation will continue offering all of the services it always has to those who need them without interruption.
Join 'The 208' conversation:
- Text us at (208) 321-5614
- E-mail us at the208@ktvb.com
- Join our The 208 Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/the208KTVB/
- Follow us on Twitter: @the208KTVB or tweet #the208 and #SoIdaho
- Follow us on Instagram: @the208KTVB
- Bookmark our landing page: /the-208
- Still reading this list? We're on YouTube, too:
HERE ARE MORE WAYS TO GET NEWS FROM KTVB:
Download the KTVB News Mobile App
Apple iOS: Click here to download
Google Play: Click here to download
Watch news reports for FREE on YouTube: KTVB YouTube channel
Stream Live for FREE on ROKU: Add the channel from the ROKU store or by searching 'KTVB'.
Stream Live for FREE on FIRE TV: Search ‘KTVB’ and click ‘Get’ to download.