molly@interfaithsanctuary.org
Word on the Street - Issue 62 | $1.00
20 Years of Peace Love and Music
One year, two dynamic men came up and said, “Hey Jodi, we want to sponsor one year of shelter, but only if the audience will match our donation.” At that time, a night of shelter was $9, which meant their challenge totaled $3,285. Jodi hopped up on stage and shared the challenge, and the audience leaped to their feet and rushed to the sponsorship table. The match was met fast and furiously, and from that moment forward, the heart of the Xtreme was fully formed.
By Jodi Peterson-Stigers
It all started with a simple request. A beloved DJ from Boise State Public Radio had been diagnosed with terminal cancer, and a small group of people wanted to put on a fundraiser so he could travel to see family and friends before he passed. The General Manager of the Boise Co-op asked his marketing girl to connect with a musician who had just moved back to Boise and see if they could produce a show together. At the end of that event, the musician turned to the marketing girl and said, “You did a great job helping to produce this.” He told her that when he lived in New York City, he performed every Christmas in a special fundraiser called Glen Burtnik’s Xmas Xtravaganza, where artists of all levels came together to raise money for the local food bank. He wondered aloud if they could create something like that here in Boise. She said yes, but added with a smile, “I am Jewish, so let’s call it the Xtreme Holiday Xtravaganza.” That musician is Curtis Stigers. The marketing girl was Jodi Peterson-Stigers. And that moment was the beginning of something none of us could have imagined. What started as a one night show raising about $10,000 grew into a two night event that sold out so fast they had no choice but to add a second evening. Over the last twenty years, this wild and wonderful musical variety show has raised more than $4.5 million for Interfaith Sanctuary. With twenty years comes a treasure chest of memories. There have been artists aged nine to ninety. The music ranges from traditional holiday tunes to remakes
of rolling stones screaming for shelter. Basque dancers mingle backstage with cowboy poets. A Rabbi with his banjo sings of Hanukkah miracles. Choirs, divas and rockers fill the stage with over 100 artists donating their time and talents to the cause. Over the past 20 years it has become the don’t- miss holiday concert of the season. The event has moved across the city, beginning at The Big Easy (Now the Knitting Factory), then The Morrison Center, settling for many years at The Historic Egyptian Theatre, taking a quick jump to Jump, then finally landing at Treefort Music Hall in 2024. And what a home it has become. The sound is incredible, the stage makes every seat a good seat, and the room just feels right. As the show grew, something beautiful happened. The Xtreme learned how to be a fundraiser from the people who came to watch it. In those early years, a small table was set up in the lobby where guests could sponsor nights of shelter. Gift Certificates were made that said “a night of shelter had been sponsored in someone’s name”, and those certificates became holiday gifts that truly gave back.
Ever since then, The Xtreme has focused on inviting attendees to support the one thing that matters most. When the temperatures drop and the nights turn dangerous, our neighbors without homes will have a safe place to rest and people who care. To this day, the end of year call out is all about sponsoring nights of shelter. And now, for its twentieth year, the community is invited to help reach a brand new milestone by raising twenty thousand nights of shelter! Sponsor nights of shelter at this year’s Xtreme Holiday Xtravaganza on Sunday, December 14 and Monday, December 15th at Treefort Music Hall. Tickets are available at www.interfaithsanctuary.org If you are unable to attend you can help by sponsoring nights of shelter during this year’s Avenues for Hope online giving campaign beginning December 10 through midnight on December 31. Visit avenuesforhope.org and search for Interfaith Sanctuary. Twenty years later, so much has changed, but one thing has stayed the same. The Xtreme Holiday Xtravaganza has always been about peace, love, and music.
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10TH ANNUAL
XTREME HOLIDAY
XTRAVAGANZA HOSTED BY CURTIS STIGERS HISTORIC EGYPTIAN THEATRE
SUNDAY
MONDAY
DEC. 20 DEC. 21
DOORS 6:30 PM • SHOW TIME 7:30 PM P R O C E E DS TO B E N E F I T I N T E R FA I T H SA N C T UA RY
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TICKETS AVAILABLE DEC. 1 @ CURTISTIGERS.COM A STIGERS/PETERSON PRODUCTION
Inside
02 POETRY CORNER
03 ART COLLECTIVE 04 COMMUNITY PARTNERS
facebook.com/wordonthestreetIFS
Scott Schmaljohn Design’s 20th Year Art
By Molly Monroe From the time he was six years old, Scott Schmaljohn could be found with a marker and paper in hand, drawing whatever came to his mind. To this day, he keeps a piece of paper and a Sharpie handy to doodle throughout the day as his “visual brain dump”. He has been doing art for around 20 years. The musician joined and started bands including Treepeople, State of Confusion, The Hand and Play Dead which, of course, he designs the posters for. The artist and musician studied graphic design at Boise State and eventually decided to create his own business called SDesign. He’s tackled projects from logos to T-shirts to advertisements to educational infographics. “I try to take things and twist them a little bit to make it creative,” Schmaljohn said. Schmaljohn had the honor of designing the art for the Xtreme Holiday Xtravaganza. After about 20 hours of concepting and sketching, then designing in illustrator, he gifted the art to Interfaith’s cause. ” I feel a deep empathy for people without shelter and I’ve always had a need to donate my services in time and give back to help the less fortunate,” he said. His design was inspired by Interfaith’s mission and felt that the dove carrying a music note symbolized the peace, love and music that this event, and Interfaith, brings to life. “I wanted real, vibrant colors because I wanted to express the holidays, the joy, the love and the whole impact,” he said. You can find more of his art on Instagram @sdesign.us or on his website design.us.
05 OUR 20TH ANNIVERSARY
POETRY CORNER Word on the Street
PO BOX 9334 511 S Americana Blvd Boise, ID 83702
Lost in a Blizzard
Forgiveness
Salt and Sugar Look the Same
By Julie Loomis
By Alexa Hazel
By Shyloh Crawfurd
Listen to the whispering wind, an eerie feeling prevails. Thinking of a way to end, these bitter north wind gales. The chilling bones are aching, the cold cuts straight through. Your whole body is shaking, as you turn a little blue. Prickly fingers of numbness, fill your outer limbs. The frost, you seem to feel less, as your life starts to dim. The steady coldness seems a comfort, the eyes grow heavy and fall. To move seems a hopeless effort, you think the wind gives a call. You notice the sky is glowing pink, against the frozen sunset shine. The glorious site will slowly sink, as the glow becomes a sign. A serene sleep over takes you you give into the cold, as you sleep. Your lost, there is no more you can do, life’s flow you can no longer keep.
Radical forgiveness, that’s one way the world will witness the love of Jesus. To us, He’s shown His mercy excessive, abundant, and 100% free.
Be careful who you trust, ’cause salt and sugar looks the same, That’s the warning carved in stories long before you learned your name. They say many wandered blindly, thinking sweetness was a claim — But be careful who you trust, ’cause salt and sugar looks the same. There was once a girl who trusted every smile that passed her way, Thought a gentle voice meant safety, thought soft words meant they’d stay. But shadows dressed as kindness came to play a crueler game… Should’ve known — be careful who you trust, ’cause salt and sugar looks the same. And a boy who thought intentions matched the warmth he always gave, Until he learned that some are saints until they find you weak and brave. They’ll praise you in the daylight, but at night they twist your name — Another tale that whispers: salt and sugar looks the same. Whole castles fell to ruin ’cause a stranger swore they cared, But loyalty means nothing when the heart behind it’s snared. Many trust the sparkle, never checking what it’s framed — So another voice repeats it: salt and sugar looks the same. But hear this part, the truest bit, the one most tales forget: Not everyone is treacherous, not everyone’s a threat. Some souls are made of honey, steady, loyal, never lame — Their sweetness doesn’t vanish when the world forgets your name. Still the stories echo softly, in a wise, protective tone: Trust is something earned, not something freely thrown. Guard the gates around your heart, let no impostor stake a claim — ’Cause be careful who you trust, ’cause salt and sugar look the same.
EDITOR IN CHIEF Molly Monroe
WOTS WRITERS/COLUMNISTS Shyloh Price Gerri Graves Julie Loomis Nate Dodgson Chris Alverez Jodi Peterson-Stigers Nicki Mortensen-Alverez Janet Kaufman Amberly Smith Terry Reilly Health Services Ancora Health Services Molly Monroe
WOTS Historian
Nicky MacAislin
WOTS STREET PHOTOGRAPHERS Gypsy Wind Julie Loomis Heather
ART COLLECTIVE DIRECTOR Chris Alvarez
CONTACT THE EDITOR To submit story ideas or community articles, please send request and information to molly@interfaithsanctuary.org
Avenues for Hope Helps Celebrate 20 Years of Interfaith Sanctuary By Jodi Peterson-Stigers Avenues for Hope kicks off on December 10 and runs through December 31 until midnight. This end of year online fundraiser shines a light on nonprofits across Idaho that are working every day in housing and homeless services. This year at Interfaith Sanctuary, we are celebrating twenty years of this work through the voices of the people who know it best. We are asking our guests to finish the sentence, “Because of Interfaith Sanctuary…” It is a simple question, but the answers capture life changing moments. Moments when someone found their purpose. Found their hope. Found their recovery. Found a job.
Or held the key to a home of their own for the very first time. The “because” happens because of the resources, relationships and programming that live within the walls of our tiny shelter. Every day our team works to remove barriers, offer support and walk alongside people as they rebuild their lives. This year, as we celebrate twenty years of service, we are inviting our community to help us reach a milestone of hope. We are challenging our supporters to help sponsor 20,0000 nights of shelter. Your donation will not only support all the good work happening in our current shelter, it will also help us move our guests into their new shelter home where this work will continue in a space created with dignity and care. Visit avenuesforhope.org and search for Interfaith Sanctuary to help us meet our 20,000 nights of shelter challenge!
But this we confess, too often when we’re wronged, white knuckled, we cling to bitterness. Rather than giving away what we so freely received, mercy and grace in our time of need. Forgive me, Father, for I know not what I do. Forgive me, Father, and make me more like You. To forgive is to absorb the pain done to you. An unpopular and uncomfortable path if it’s the one you choose. Count the cost, for the call is to live a life in the shadow of the cross. The much I’ve been forgiven far surpasses any wrong done to me. So, Holy Spirit, help me to just as freely give grace and mercy in their time of need.
ART COLLECTIVE Photo by Gypsy
Holy Apostles Divine Mercy donate men’s and women’s clothing Photo by Molly
Guests shared their stories at the Wassmuth Center (See story on p. 7)
Photo by Molly
Boots painted by local artists and the Homeless Art Collective at the Fred Awards.
COMMUNITY PARTNERS
WOTS WOT S
Terry Reilly Tips
D EEDS O N T HE ST RE E T
By Briana S., Case Manager Terry Reilly Health Services
It may sound simple, taking care of ourselves really is so important. Practicing self-care may seem like an obvious task, but it is something we can easily forget to do. Especially during the holiday season when things are busy, family dynamics can be stressful or we’re reminded of loved ones no longer with us.
There are many areas of our lives where additional self-care can improve our peace, emotional well-being and outlook on life. Some tactics are practical and some can be downright fun. Here are some suggestions to apply in each area:
WOTS
Emotional Laugh Cry Affirmations Practice forgiveness
Spiritual Pray or Meditate Live your values Go into nature Find belonging in the community Believe in the good of humanity
By Sharla Phelps, Ancora Hospice Bereavement Specialist t
This time of year, as you look around, you often see families gathering, laughter, and time spent together. If we all look just a bit deeper, we can see that the holidays can be challenging, painful, or lonely. What happens to our holidays when we have had a loss or death? What happens when grief seems to take over our holiday time? Grief is a normal reaction to any type of loss: loss of housing, loss of a job, loss of lifestyle, loss of friendships, loss of love, or the loss of a person due to death. During the holidays, this grief can be magnified and difficult to cope with.
D EEDS O N T HE ST RE E T
A few years ago, I was grieving a loved one during the month of December. A wise friend recognized my grief and told me, “Go and do something nice for yourself. Take care of you.” That wisdom has really stuck with me.
Personal Spend time with loved ones Get coffee with a friend Foster friendships
Occupational Find meaningful work Volunteer/help others Balance work and leisure time Learn something new
The great Lucille Ball is quoted, “Love yourself first, and everything else falls in line. You really have to love yourself to get anything done in this world.” Taking care of yourself is not selfish. You and your health are important. Every little thing that helps you be a healthier person is worth it.
Below are some ideas to help you deal with the changes you may be experiencing around the holiday season: Give yourself options If you are unsure what to do about the holidays, develop a “plan A” and “plan B”. If the “plan A” activity or event seems too challenging, move on to “plan B,” even if it’s spending time reflecting and resting. Recognize that during the holiday season, you don’t have to do things the same way, at the same time, in the same place. If one plan doesn’t feel right, permit yourself to do something different.
D EEDS O N T HE ST RE E T
Physical Eat healthy Exercise Improved sleep Practice good hygiene
Psychological Therapy Journaling Learn to self-soothe Aromatherapy
WOT S
Grief and the Holidays
Do what feels right for you If you need to “cancel” the holiday, that is okay. If you can’t do certain things during the holiday, that is okay too. If you want to do things the same way and keep some traditions, that is okay as well. You get to decide what you can or cannot handle
DEED S O N TH E ST R E E T
Everybody Needs a Haircut
By Molly Monroe “Everybody needs a haircut, but not everyone can afford one”, Dayton Newsone said as he trimmed an Interfaith Sanctuary guest’s hair. For an afternoon, the shelter lobby was transformed into a barbershop complete with the stylist chair Newsone donated, hair clippings scattered on the floor, and a folding table of razors, scissors, combs and a hand mirror for the barber to work with. One by one, guests took their seats and left looking refreshed. When Newsone held up a mirror for them, guests smiled with approval of their new reflection. He enjoys making people feel good about themselves and hopes that the newfound confidence after getting a simple haircut goes a long way.
One guest, Shyloh Crawfurd, received a haircut on his 20th birthday and said that getting a haircut made him “feel his best”. He said he even felt more confident, productive and motivated in his online schooling. About fifteen people signed up and patiently waited for their turn. Spirits were lifted and hair was perfected, with an act of generosity. Out of the kindness of his heart, Newsone plans to visit the shelter three times a month and the family shelter once a month to give guests professional haircuts. The barber of six years works at V’s Barbershop, an establishment recognized as Idaho’s best barber five years in a row. But for him, the real reward is making people feel better.
Notice your triggers What happens around you can trigger your grief. Sometimes it is the smells of the season, the sounds that you hear (music, people laughing), or the sights of the holiday season. Don’t be surprised if you
can’t finish an activity for some reason. Just recognize that, and decide to stop when you feel uncomfortable. Reach out for support It’s a good idea to talk to a trusted friend or counselor and get the support you need during these difficult times. Sometimes a friend can help you discover what is right for you. Practice gratitude Gratitude doesn’t always ease grief, but the practice of noticing good, small things, whether it’s a warm meal or a friendly smile. Although it may feel forced or awkward at times, this simple act will positively impact your mindset and outlook on life. Some days, gratitude feels impossible. That’s okay too. Your grief journey is about YOU. One thing we know about grief is that it is going to look different tomorrow...and next week... and next month...and next year. Coping Tools When you are grieving a loss in your life, it can be helpful to develop a list of ways to cope with your loss. This list is specific to you and unique to your situation. If you are grieving the death of a person who was significant in your life, consider these ideas: • Share stories and memories of that person • Visit one of their favorite places • Remember a funny story about them • Enjoy the sights and sounds of the holiday while you remember them • Repeat a favorite holiday tradition that they would have enjoyed • Consider starting a new tradition Whatever you decide to do this holiday season, remember that you can access support in your community. Honor your grief, spend time with the feelings, and recognize how important loss can be.
INTERFAITH’S 20TH ANNIVERSARY
The Night the Doors Opened: The First Evening of Sanctuary able staff (and security).
By Steven F. Scanlin, MSW, JD
I was just happy to be able to help that couple and others come in from the cold that day and that night and experience what so many others had prepared so well to have made it happen there. Interfaith Sanctuary has been open every single day and every single night since that cold day.
My name is Steve Scanlin and I am one of the first Interfaith Sanctuary volunteers. Well, in some ways maybe the first volunteer. Let me explain. A group of interfaith individuals and churches had been planning for a new homeless shelter for months, or even longer. They had planned to open it on a temporary basis at First Congregational United Church of Christ on or about December 5, 2005. John and Jane Post had volunteered to be the first facility managers for the new shelter. It was the Advent period, an important time for most Protestant (and many other Christian) churches because it is the beginning of the Christmas season, the busiest time of year for most of them. It was no different at First Congregational. However, because of their commitment to social justice they went ahead and offered their facility. Because I was a member of that congregation, Jane Post called me at my law practice about 2:30 p.m. on December 5, an extremely cold day with mid-afternoon temperatures well below freezing, close to eight degrees Fahrenheit. She asked me if I had a key to the church. I replied that I did. She then asked me to go open the church and put on the coffee because there were people already trying to get in. I said that I would. When I got there shortly after that, there were a couple people at the front door and I let them in. The woman had just had brain surgery and needed to get indoors ASAP. The next person in the door was
a guest from another shelter I assumed, named Squirrel. He informed me that he was the Head of Security and would be doing perimeter security around the outside of the church. I told him that was fine with me and to come in for coffee if he needed some. Next was an inspector from the Boise Fire Department who after inspecting the building informed me that there were five or six infractions which included out-ofdate fire extinguishers and burned out exit lights, but that since the mission we were on was so critical that they would let us open if we fixed the deficiencies ASAP. And then we were off and running. Around 8 p.m. we were in full speed mode and had staff and guests bustling around. That first night we had around 45 guests, the men were in the Church Fellowship Hall and the women, children and families were in the Fireside room, a smaller but cozy place next to the Fellowship Hall. By then I was worn out and left the place in the hands of the managers and the very
You Don’t Need a House to be Home
By Morgan Cruz
This Christmas looks nothing like last year’s. In a strange way, that’s exactly why it feels more meaningful. Before landing at Interfaith Sanctuary, my family had everything society tells you equals happiness: a beautiful home, a dream job, stability, and savings. Life looked perfect from the outside. And we were happy… enough. It wasn’t until everything fell apart and I found myself standing in the middle of the street at night with nothing but the clothes I was wearing and a backpack of recovery books that I realized how surface-level that version of happiness had been. Losing everything forced me to look inward. Stripped down to nothing. I discovered a connection with my higher power...and with myself.
Now, Christmas isn’t about recreating what we used to have. It’s about teaching my sons a deeper truth: even when we don’t have much, we still have more than some, and we can choose to share what we do have. We may be in a temporary space, but it’s warm, safe, and filled with love. We decorate with simple things like lights and stockings. We slow down. We talk. We laugh. We show up for each other. And that’s the kind of magic that can’t be bought. We’re not where we’ll be forever, but we’re exactly where we need to be right now. We’re building something real, grounded and lasting. This Christmas reminds me that joy isn’t found in perfection; it’s found in presence, gratitude and community. And that’s a gift I’ll carry long after we leave these doors.
I returned the next day and many days after that and was amazed at how well it was all planned out. The LDS churches had provided sleeping mats, pillows and quilts. The Hari Krishnas provided lots of nourishing (but vegetarian) food. We probably had the healthiest shelter meals in the nation. The Christian Scientists provided fruit, and the list goes on and on. The Catholic churches provided leadership staff, financing and much other assistance. The Jewish Temple and the Unitarian Universalists were also very involved. It was the most amazing collection of religious collaboration and coordination I have ever seen, and I have been a member of a religious group my entire 80-year-old life.
before it got physical. Mostly I have just been near the front door to help out where needed. During Covid I took a leave of absence and have been on the sidelines ever since. It was one of the greatest honors of my life to have been a part of the founding of Interfaith Sanctuary Homeless Services. I don’t take any credit for it at all. I was “just the guy with the key who let people in!”
I later served as an Interfaith Sanctuary volunteer for many years, including being the relief night manager for Jane Sorrells when it moved to the Carnegie Library building (courtesy of the Episcopalian Diocese), then I think to the Presbyterian Church, then to a semi-permanent facility and then to the present location. There may have been other locations, it was a busy and buzzing time. I have done everything from feeding paralyzed guests, helping with medical issues as a former Navy Hospital Corpsman and even breaking up some disagreements
My Year as a Homeless Person By Julie Loomis This year has been quite the journey. It started really dismal. I was extremely sick and very depressed. I ended 2024 in the hospital, very sick with influenza, and I started 2025 with pneumonia. Illnesses spread like wildfires in the shelter, so if your immune system is weakened, you’re sick all winter. I also have severe depression and felt like I was going to die here. After months of just lying in bed, I was finally sent to a mental hospital to work on my depression and anxiety. I really liked this hospital; the staff was amazing and I was able to get on the right medication to pull me out of my depression. I had not been doing any art or writing stories. It’s like I’m missing a piece of myself when I’m unable to create. My creative side helps me get through each day as a homeless person. When I started getting healthy, I was able to get back to painting and writing. Writing gives me a voice to tell my and other people’s stories. My photography lets me find beauty in a gray world. Walking in the park or down the street in springtime is uplifting, so I share it through my camera lens. My painting gives me peace, so I create peaceful scenes. I also started planting a garden at Interfaith when spring faded into summer. Unfortunately, I lost a dear friend, Mike, who just made me smile. To cope with the loss, I just kept creating and waiting for housing. One regular day in the shelter, when I
turned the corner, there stood my son Alex. I could hardly breathe and didn’t know how he came here. I realized he was at a job interview at the shelter. I just kept saying his name over and over. Suddenly, he was in my arms, and I was shaking. I told everyone I saw, “That’s my son,” as I took a drag of my cigarette with a trembling hand. My firstborn and I had a lot of time to catch up since I hadn’t seen him in six years. And last we talked, I was not in the right state of mind and felt like I was walking on eggshells for a while. I hope this will be a new start for us. Alex found a job at a different non-profit, and I’m hopeful he is busy doing what he loves. As fall leaves scatter, my depression slowly creeps back. I have a great doctor, so I am sure we will figure it out. I miss my youngest son, Brandon, who lives with his father until I can get housing for us. The year eventually became better when this last month, I finally got my housing voucher with the help of the Interfaith staff, especially the case manager, Maddy. She helped me get all the paperwork and application sent. Now, I wait to hear where I will land, so I can finally be back with Brandon in a two-bedroom apartment. I will continue writing, painting and photography. I hope to build better relationships with my family and hang on to all my friends because I have met some incredible people here. Experiencing homelessness and going through Project Well Being at Interfaith has given me time to fix myself so I can create more lasting relationships, love myself and get artistic.
INTERFAITH’S 20TH ANNIVERSARY Twenty Years of Nick Guho!
In The Beginning
By Jodi Peterson-Stigers
By Rabbi Dan Fink
For the past 20 years, Nick Guho has stood by Interfaith Sanctuary’s side, making sure we could continue to bring shelter, safety, and love to our guests. He has been a constant source of strength through every chapter of our story, and these past five years working to bring our new shelter home to life, his commitment has been unwavering.
Interfaith Sanctuary was a refuge born of crisis: In a brutally cold winter twenty years ago, people were freezing in our city streets with no place to go. Boise lacked a low-barrier shelter, leaving many of its citizens exposed to the elements: families that wanted to stay together, LGBTQ+ folks, individuals struggling with substance abuse, and anyone who sought a roof over their head that did not require them to profess evangelical Christianity.
Nick has shown up to every meeting, written letters of support, spoken to state leaders, and sat at the table with our bank to ensure this dream could become a reality. He sat beside me through every public hearing, right up to the night our Conditional Use Permit was upheld. He never left my side, never stopped believing, and always found the words to lift me up when the fight felt too heavy. When something breaks in our shelter, a door that will not close or an air conditioner that stops working, Nick is there in moments with his crew to fix it. No hesitation, no delay, just that same steadfast heart that has always kept our mission moving forward. Last year at our gala, two beautiful Adiron-
dack chairs built by our guests in the CWI construction class and hand painted by our Homeless Art Collective went up for auction. I mentioned from the stage how much I loved those chairs and said if I were in the audience, I would be bidding for them myself. Of course, Nick won them with his usual enthusiasm, and the next morning he showed up at my door with those chairs sitting on my front patio. “They’re yours,” he said with a smile. Who does that? Nick does. Because that is who he is, one of a kind. Nick held me up. He held our team up. And because of his persistence, his love, and his belief in the people we serve, our new shelter home will open its doors in January. We are forever grateful for his boots on the ground and his heart in the work.
In this state of emergency, a diverse group of clergy and lay leaders came together to address the pressing practical and moral challenges. The need was great and the timing was urgent, so after some preliminary discussion around a tent city, we began housing people at First Congregational Church. Relying entirely on volunteers, we learned how to run a makeshift shelter on the go, while doing just that. Our efforts were sometimes clumsy and amateurish but from the start, we welcomed our guests warmly and kept people out of the cold, both literally and metaphorically. And we created a kind of ecumenical community—in a world where religion so often divides us, Protestants and Catholics,
2025 Fred Awards: Boots on the Ground
By Molly Monroe and Jodi Peterson-Stigers
The community showed up in full force to celebrate our FREDs at the Second Annual FRED Awards to raise over $100,000 for Interfaith Sanctuary. It was a night filled with joy, gratitude, and deep appreciation for the remarkable people we honored. The heart of the night belonged to our FRED Award recipients. Their stories of fearlessness, resilience, empathy, and dynamism that capture true boots on the ground leadership inspired the entire room. The music bumpers, performed by the band led by Curtis Stigers with Casey Miller, Dave Manion, Bernie Reilly, and Katrina Nicolayeff, each one chosen to match the spirit and personality of the honoree lifted the energy even higher. The awards themselves were extraordinary. Correctional Industries crafted stunning FRED Award plaques, each featuring a boot complete with real laces, symbolizing the theme of the night and the incredible community that walks alongside Interfaith Sanctuary every day. Highlights from the FRED Awards:
Guest of the Year
In his acceptance speech, Shiloh Price expressed how he entered Interfaith scared, but was wrapped up in care that made him feel seen. He battled anger and disappointment, but grew in resilience and confidence. “I am proud to stand here not in spite of where I was left but because of how far I’ve managed to rise from it,” he said.
His words received a standing ovation from the audience.
Employee of the Year
Director of Case Management Stacey White was honored as the employee of year who acknowledged her fellow staff as “fierce advocates”. “Your hard work, compassion, and the commitment you show to your community is an honor to stand and work beside,” she said.
Volunteer of the Year
Jim Rudolph humbly accepted his award for volunteer of the year, baffled at how he could possibly be the recipient of an award alongside all the other amazing recipients.
Warrior of the Year “In an ideal world, Interfaith Sanctuary would be unnecessary” Geoffrey Wardle, the recipient of the Warrior of the Year award, said. The pro bono lawyer for Interfaith Sanctuary has worked tirelessly to fight with Interfaith through legal battles. Caring for those experiencing homelessness is near and dear to his heart
Faith Group and Faith Leader of the Year
their second Fred award for Partner of the Year. Dan Fisher accepted the award and chalked himself up to be “just the spreadsheet guy.” Fisher spent hours upon hours crunching the numbers that didn’t seem to be in the nonprofit’s favor, but kept up faith in Interfaith.
FRED of the Year
Nick Guho was honored as the Fred of the Year for keeping his boots on the ground since the day Interfaith Sanctuary was born. From acquiring Interfaith’s first building where the current emergency shelter resides, to building the new shelter home on State Street, Guho never wavered. “I never doubted Interfaith would get here,” he said. Another highlight of the evening was the silent auction where attendees could bid on one of a kind boots handpainted by our local artist community. The artists all donated their time and talent to make these truly special boots for our cause. The Boots on the Ground artists were: Jodi Miller, John Milan, Bobby Gaytan, Jennifer Parks, Joelle Ater, Chris “Critter” Alvarez, Julie Loomis, Becka Schrinsky, Wendy Blickenstaff, Bobby Gayton and Ethereal Ink artists, Julian, Emily, Renee and Kas.
Cathedral of the Rockies and pastor Duane Anders received the award for faith group of the year. The congregation raised $116,000 in one Sunday by simply passing their offering plate through the congregation. Pastor Anders quoted a scripture in Micah 6:8 that communicates what he sees partners of Interfaith doing on a day to day basis, “Act justly, love mercy and walk humbly.”
Donor of the Year
Jodi Peterson-Stigers awarded Bobbi Hansberger with the “Donor of the Year” award. Peterson-Stigers said that she calls Hansberger, who encourages Peterson-Stigers in moments of despair. “It’s inspiring to support an organization that is capable of supporting others,” Hansberger said after the gala.
Partner of the Year
The only bank that allowed Interfaith to take out a loan, Heritage Bank, received
Organizations, foundations, families, staff, and volunteers who have walked beside Interfaith over the years came together to make the Second Annual FRED Awards a night to remember. Everyone showed up not just with their boots, but with their hearts. The room was overflowing with generosity, gratitude, and pure goodness and you could feel Fred Cornforth, the man who inspired it all, right there with us in spirit.
Jews and Muslims and Buddhists and Hindus, Mormons and atheists and agnostics all came together to serve the most vulnerable among us. We offered up a kind of collective prayer, not with sectarian words or music, but through the shared work of our hands. For all our differences, we affirmed what remains the guiding principle of Interfaith Sanctuary: Every person is sacred, created in the image of the Divine. The first year, the shelter was temporary. We closed shop when the weather warmed with winter’s end. But over the next two decades, we grew—sometimes in fits and starts and sometimes in leaps and bounds. We moved to the old Carnegie library, and then to our current site downtown. Over time, we added services and support groups of all kinds, and became a fulltime, year-round operation. Today, as we prepare to move into our new home on State Street, Interfaith is a vastly more ambitious and comprehensive operation than we could have even dreamed about during our humble beginnings. But the spirit remains very much the same: honoring our guests, welcoming people of all faiths and of none with compassion and loving kindness. So may it always be.
Volunteering for 20 years: In it for the Long Haul By Julie Loomis Diane Tipton has been involved with Interfaith since the beginning, twenty years ago. She started volunteering in 2005 when Interfaith Sanctuary was located in the basement of the Carnegie Library. She felt the calling to help the homeless because she herself experienced homelessness at one time. Diane got to know the guests when she and her partner had a cleaning business. She claimed the folks experiencing homelessness around the business ran their security to keep them safe. She was on laundry duty when she first started volunteering. Diane would pick up the dirty laundry from the shelter in the library basement and take them to St. Luke’s to be washed. Diane would take them back to the shelter. The biggest changes Diane saw as Interfaith developed were the type of guests and the services offered. When it first opened in the churches, Interfaith Sanctuary saw mainly men who were living on the streets or by the river. When they moved into the building on River Street, they had space to accommodate more families and women. Diane also watched the programs like recovery, wellbeing and case management grow and change people’s lives. When they moved to River Street, Diane volunteered to clean. Today, at 71 years old, Diane is a volunteer driver who transports guests to and from appointments, work, etc. She has always felt appreciated and really enjoys getting to know the guests as they drive around. After twenty years of volunteering, she is in it with Interfaith for the long haul.
The Best Gift
Stories of the Shelter at the Wassmuth Center
By Gerri Graves It was something small, but it made me terribly giddy. Poor folk can’t afford luxuries like salon appointments, getting our nails done, makeup not sold at the local grocery store.......and a new dress.
By Molly Monroe “When was a time you have or have not felt seen and heard?” This question clung to the whiteboard in the Wassmuth Center for Human Rights waiting to be answered by Interfaith Sanctuary guests and Wassmuth Volunteers.
It’s been a lot of little things this season that have made life truly enjoyable. I think we forget that. I felt inclined to share a few stories during this festive season as a reminder that this is the time we need each other most. I’ll start with a little story from my youngest. I know, another story about my kids......but I am always amazed at their resourcefulness, their defiance to bend to the whims of their peers, their constant comedy relief and their bottomless well of empathy to fight for strangers they’ll never meet. Julian calls it his “job”......and he means it. When he was little, I walked him to and from school every day. He was mischievous. I couldn’t trust him not to deviate on a whim. And......the world is scary. He always smiled and was eager to make new friends. I constantly found him talking to adults about Minecraft or his new hand sanitizer (He had a serious issue with getting his hands dirty). During the fall on these walks, we had a little contest of sorts. We’d gather acorns and leaves and stuff them in our pockets. Whoever had the prettiest, most colorful leaf.......would get a treat. He always won, of course. There would be laundry days where almost every pocket of his contained fistfuls of, by then, crunchy leaves. I’d fill up half the kitchen trash with leaves alone! It’s one of the things that should have annoyed me, but didn’t. Quite the opposite, in fact. My little nature boy with his pockets of rocks, acorns and leaves, brought me so much joy. I loved his endless curiosity about all things, nature.
It was then, she reached into her china cabinet and grabbed a set of old china cups.....from China, no less. She knows my love of all things Chinese lately and gifted me these gorgeous, delicate, blue and white teacups.....complete with little lids! It’s super hard to find these old Chinese tea cups with their lids here, and I was over the moon that she gave them to me! A small thing that meant so much. My friend Chris, also aware of the food thing with the government shutdown, brought me over a box full of food and like a half gallon of Chardonnay! She remembered I cooked my Turkey in white wine. That she recollected that fact, knew our resources were slim..... and just spontaneously showed up on our doorstep, was such a delight! A small gift that allowed me to make my famously moist and delicious turkey for Thanksgiving. My friend Jeannie, too, did something rather randomly. She checked out an audiobook I’d been wanting to listen to, and brought it with a CD player. Again, a small, unasked-for......kindness. My daughter Vero knew there was an old lamp I wanted, but could not afford, and bought it for me. She’s a 46” statue lamp,
With his still mischievous little grin, he said, “I thought these were really pretty.” He remembered. He remembered the leaves. I just sat and looked at them and replied, “They are very lovely.” He remembered the leaves. It was something so small that carried with it a wave of nostalgia mixed with a pang of sorrow.....that our kids have to grow up at all. He was my BFF one day, and a defiant teenager in too short of time. But the whole event of him remembering the leaves, showed me that the little mischievous troublemaker was still in there somewhere. I mentioned it to my friend Denise when I saw her last. We had a get-together with coffee and the farmers’ market. She had found out that the farmers’ market was giving away meal kits to people affected by the government shutdown, so she offered to take me there. Laden down with 10 pounds of potatoes, veggies and the meal bag, we made our way back to her house to finish our coffee accompanied by a ham and cheese croissant.
“My name is Nick and this is my story…” a high school aged volunteer who just listened to Nick’s story said to the group. She began to repeat Nick’s heartfelt experience of receiving an anonymous letter of encouragement addressed to “Dear Beautiful Stranger”, a moment that left an impression on Nick and a reminder that someone notices him and cares. Guest and WOTS writer Loomis said that sitting across from the volunteer she was paired with felt like getting coffee and catching up with a friend. Prompted to think about those in the community who are rarely listened to, Stella
without a shade or wiring of any sort...... just her. I’ve never seen anything like her. Most likely, I will never see again..... and now she’s all mine. She needs plaster repairs, a new paint job, wiring and one of my handmade silk shades, but I can’t wait to restore her to her former glory. It was such a sweet, small (huge lamp) thing that would take me away from my, at times, dreary existence. The world doesn’t exist when I’m creating. Better than any antidepressant or counselor session, that’s for sure. With these examples, I want to remind my fellow folk that kindness is better than any expensive gift. That small offering, that little favor you did for someone...... was probably forgotten by you as soon as you did it. But I thought you’d like to know that little ‘something’ was probably an ‘everything’ to the recipient. In the age of commercialism, I’m warmed by my friends, family and strangers who gift themselves to us and see little warmth outside of our inner sanctum. Whether it be a handful of leaves or an ugly, old lamp......there’s love behind it. In essence, the best gift you can give anyone this year is the gift of yourself. Happy Holidays and hopefully, a happier New Year.
“Giving people a platform to feel truly seen and heard, makes my heart so full and that’s really our goal in doing this,” Thornfeldt said. Four high school aged Wassmuth Youth Leaders Abigail Wallace, Ashlyn Woodhouse,Molly Steenhoven, and Thornfeldt facilitated the story sharing event modeled after their monthly Stories at the Center. “As a young person, it’s just really formative to think how we will engage in our community. Guests allowing us to walk in their shoes was incredibly touching and it has made me want to go out and be more of an advocate.” Wallace said. The overarching question these students explore throughout the year is “How does change happen?” “This really gave us a chance to understand how positive change is a product of compassion and empathy across all boards,” Steenhoven said, “I believe in order for positive change to happen and for us to be a more cohesive and unified society, we need to host things like story exchanges”
Part 2: The Overlap: Why So Many of us Become Entrepreneurs By Amberly Smith “That makes a lot of sense to me,” Chris Alvarez said. I had just mentioned that people with criminal records are more likely to own businesses. “I’ve absolutely seen that to be true.”
It was a sad season when he grew out of his leaf-gathering ways. Can’t keep them wee forever, I guess, but it did feel like a chapter closing, while a new one began. A few weeks ago, I was whiling away the day with my latest lampshade project, as he came bounding in from a day at work. He removed his jacket and came straight to me and handed me, you guessed it, leaves.
Guests Julie Loomis, Gary Harman, Nick Rogers, and Shyloh Crawfurd accompanied by staff paired up with four community members ranging in age and took turns answering the prompt. Each pair was tasked with practicing reflective listening to be able to repeat their partner’s story back to the whole group.
Thornfeldt, Boise High School student and Wassmuth Youth Leader, reached out to Interfaith Sanctuary to give those experiencing homelessness an opportunity to share their stories while practicing reflective listening.
We were sitting at a Word on the Street meeting, and his response opened up a conversation that stuck with me. Chris isn’t alone in seeing that pattern. The research backs it up. And the reasons why go deeper than I expected. At WOTS I’ve met Gypsy, Ashtyn, Nick, and so many more through these meetings. Nicki shared that it often takes building a personal connection with a company before they’ll consider hiring someone with a record. Research Mode Did you know that convicted individuals are 13% more likely to work at startups after a conviction? A recent paper by Kylie Hwang and Melanie Wallskog called “Startups as Engines of Inclusion” found that startup hiring of people with records is most common when exclusion from traditional firms is highest. When most people hear ‘neurodivergent,’ they picture someone who can’t sit still or seek out risk. But neurodivergence is so much more than that. It includes differences in how we process time, handle structure, connect with others and navigate sensory input. Being neurodivergent means I am statistically more likely to have problems with self-harm, addiction, and job loss. The Receipts The patterns go deeper: 28% of people with criminal records are self-employed compared to only 10-12% of people without records (Center for American Progress, 2023). Neurodivergent people? We’re four times more likely than neurotypicals to start our own businesses. In fact, 8% of small business founders have ADHD com-
pared to just 2% in the general population. Here’s what makes it even more striking. Roughly 50% of prison populations may be neurodivergent and around 25% of homeless adults are neurodivergent compared to only 15% of the general population (Penal Reform International, 2025). Eight in ten neurodivergent people will experience mental health conditions in their lifetime. These aren’t separate issues—they’re deeply intertwined. The systems that fail neurodivergent people often lead to mental health crises, homelessness, and incarceration. But here’s what gives me hope: entrepreneurship isn’t just about survival—it actually changes outcomes. Studies show that entrepreneurship decreases recidivism rates by 30%, dropping them from 45.6% down to around 32% (Hwang & Phillips, 2024). Ashtyn pointed out something brilliant: a Venn diagram must exist showing the overlap between people who are neurodivergent or struggling with mental health conditions, people who’ve been failed by society and people who forge their own path forward. She said that the diagram would look a bit like an oval. Maybe what we share is a refusal to let systems built for someone else define our worth. The Resistance I passionately believe that representation in any form matters. Being able to see similar ideas and struggles, and being able to hear about other people’s choices, allows us to see our part in the world. On our individual journeys to self-love, we grow and heal when we recognize ourselves in others. I registered my LLC this month to do project management work focused on ethical community planning and building affordable housing through ADUs (accessory dwelling units). I’m building these places for my daughters—one who is autistic and one who has DID—and for everyone else who needs a place that is built to include them.