BOISE, Idaho — Monday marks five days until one of Idaho's biggest giving campaigns - 7Cares Idaho Shares.
Every year, thousands of dollars and thousands of pounds of food are donated by the community to those in need. One of the organizations that receives a portion of your generous donations is The Boise Rescue Mission.
The Rescue Mission is one of the largest providers of services to people in need across the state. Every day the Boise Rescue Mission works to help the homelessness and give a hand up for families in need.
DONATE HERE: 7Cares Idaho Shares benefits 10 Idaho charities
All of this is possible because of generous people throughout the Treasure Valley.
Reverend Bill Roscoe is the proud President and CEO of the Boise Rescue Mission, he explains that donations help keep their robust programs running.
"We are a lot more than a soup kitchen, a lot more than a shelter," Roscoe said. “We have emergency services for homeless people, we have long term recovery programs for people that are experiencing homelessness and others who have addiction problems with drugs and alcohol."
Simply, helping people is what it is all about at the Boise rescue mission. Unfortunately, though, Roscoe explains there is a lot of people in need.
"Right now we have about 500 men, women, and children in our beds every night and we are serving about 1,000 meals a day, every single day," Roscoe said.
Louie is one of the residents that has found help at the mission, he says simply it changed his life entirely.
"I was in drugs for 22 years, I needed to change my life," Louie explained. "Bedding, food, you can find happiness, change your lifestyle they've got it all inside there, but it's about the individual wanting to make a change."
To help people make that change, the generous community donates during 7 Cares Idaho Shares.
Money, food, and much more are donated to help those that need it most across our community.
"The spirit of giving is just alive and well at 7Cares Day, and it’s such an exciting time to be there. Rain, sleet, snow, or sunshine, we are really happy to be there," Roscoe said.
The support from the community means everything to the mission.
"Knowing that gives me the juice to get up every morning and get down here and do what I can do to be a part of that to see it change the lives of people," Roscoe said.
Louie says it has made all the difference.
"Living on the streets is not the way of life," Louie said. “Now I’m seven months clean, I go to church, I live for the lord, Boise Rescue Mission is the awesomest place you can be."
7Cares Idaho Shares is coming up on Saturday, December 14.
KTVB will be collecting cash and food donations at all Treasure Valley Fred Meyer locations, and select Albertsons stores.
KTVB will also be collecting donations and broadcasting live from Boise State's Albertsons Stadium from 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.