BOISE, Idaho — Faces of Hope is back in Boise, six months after being evicted from their previous location downtown.
Faces transitioned to a new spot in Meridian that same month and wanted to return to Idaho's capital city in a new home, which opened Monday.
Its new location is seeing the same high demand for its services.
"We see 23 people a day on average," Faces of Hope Deputy Director Liz Edrich said.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), one in three women and one in four men in the U.S. have experienced some form of domestic violence. Faces has seen a 39% increase in clients over the past five years.
"We've seen people from 33 different cities this year," Edrich said. "We know that our clients from Boise were not coming out as often for care because Meridian is not in their backyard. That was our goal - to be back in Boise so that half of our clients had access to the resources we can provide."
Edrich said the foundation has had a long-time plan to expand its footprint across the county.
The Meridian and Boise locations offer the same resources and wraparound services for victims of domestic violence and other forms of abuse with tangible and immediate help.
Services offered by Faces of Hope include:
- Advocates meeting victims to help determine what services the client needs.
- Emergency services such as housing, clothing, new prescription glasses, lock changes, unmonitored cell phones, transportation and food.
- Counselors meeting with clients.
- Attorney services addressing clients' legal needs, such as family law issues, child custody and civil protection orders.
- Case managers helping victims become self-reliant.
- Hope's Closet and a diaper bank.
Crisis services are free. Removing the barriers to support for those who need it most.
"We all know someone who needs support," Edrich said. "The more resources that our community can offer, the better it is for people who need help."
The new Faces Boise location is in need of donations for Hope's Closet, which provides clothes for victims of abuse. There is an especially high demand for summertime clothing.
Faces of Hope's Boise location is at 209 W. Main St in downtown Boise. Their Meridian location is at 1850 S. Eagle Road, Suite 100. Victims can call (208) 986-4357 for assistance.