Summer Feeding Program Serves More

Than 1,000 Meals in June

Summer is off to a strong start for United Way of Eastern Idaho's Summer Feeding Program! Thanks to the generous support of The Smith Group, United Way of Eastern Idaho, and The Salvation Army, children across our community have access to free, lunches all summer long.

We're excited to share that 1,060 free lunches were served at our two distribution sites during the month of June alone! Even more encouraging—and concerning—is that we've seen a significant increase in the number of children needing meals this summer compared to last year, highlighting the growing need in our community.

The Summer Feeding Program will continue Monday through Friday through August 21, providing free grab-and-go lunches to all children ages 18 and younger.

Lunch Locations:

Happyville Farm

640 S. Saturn Ave., Idaho Falls

Monday–Friday | 11:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

The Salvation Army

605 N. Blvd., Idaho Falls

Monday–Friday | 12:00 p.m. – 12:30 p.m.

"Summer break shouldn't mean a break from meals. Together with our community partners, we're helping ensure children have the nutrition they need to enjoy a healthy and active summer." — Chris Wiersema, CEO, United Way of Eastern Idaho

Want to get involved?

We're also looking for volunteers to help pack and distribute lunches. If you can spare about 1 hour during the week, we'd love to have you join us in making a difference for local children.

For more information or to volunteer, contact:

Arial Howell

Community Impact Director, United Way of Eastern Idaho

📧 ahowell@unitedwayif.org

📞 208-522-2674

FOOD DRIVE

Help Us Keep Lunches Coming!

As demand continues to grow, we're asking the community to help stock our summer feeding program.

Join us for our Summer Feeding Food Drive:

📅 Friday, July 10

🕙 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

📍 Sam's Club – Idaho Falls

We'll be collecting food items specifically for the Summer Feeding Program to help ensure every child who comes to our sites receives a lunch throughout the remainder of the summer.

Join Us for the 13th Annual

LIVE United Summer Concert Series!

We're excited to kick off the 13th season of the LIVE United Summer Concert Series! This beloved community tradition brings people together for great music our POWER of $10 fundraiser that supports our Ready. Set. GO! Weekend Food Bag Program, which helps ensure local elementary children have food over the weekends.

Thanks to the generous support of our presenting sponsor, The Smith Group, the LIVE United Concert Series is FREE, family-friendly, and full of fun for all ages! Enjoy incredible live music, delicious food trucks, local craft beer, and activities the whole family will love—including our Kid Zone, free books for kids, and hands-on STEM activities.

Concert Schedule

📍 The Waterfront at Snake River Landing

1220 Event Center Drive

The series begins Thursday, July 16, and continues every Thursday through August 20th.

We kick off at 6:00 p.m. with our annual Campaign Celebration and Volunteer Awards, recognizing the incredible individuals and organizations whose generosity and dedication make our work possible. Arrive early to grab a great seat! Music will follow after awards.

This year, we're proud to recognize:

Battelle Energy Alliance
The Smith Group
BEA Ambassadors
Hall Foundation
Journey Financial Services

Fun for the Whole Family

-STEAM Tables

Back by popular demand, our interactive STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts & Math) tables offer hands-on projects that inspire creativity, curiosity, and problem-solving. Every child gets to take home their creation!

-Ready. Set. READ!

One of our most popular programs returns this summer! Every child receives a free new book to help build their home library and encourage a lifelong love of reading.

-Kids Zone

From outdoor games to hands-on activities, the Kids Zone is designed to keep children active, engaged, and making new friends throughout the evening.

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROJECTS

Each concert also features a special community donation drive supporting United Way of Eastern Idaho programs. Bring an item from the week's wish list and drop it off at the donation bin near the entry gate.

July 16 – Cold Dark Whisky

Campaign Celebration & Hygiene Kit Drive

Help us collect hygiene kits for students in the Ready. Set. GO! program.

Requested items: Shampoo, Soap, Deodorant, Toothpaste, Body wash, Body lotion, Combs

July 23 – PreDawn Flight

Weekend Food Backpack Drive

Support local students through our Ready. Set. GO! Weekend Food Program.

Requested items: Granola bars, Fruit snacks, Individual cereal cups, Instant oatmeal, Single-serve macaroni & cheese, Ravioli cups

July 30 – McMurphy Brothers

Back-to-School Clothing Drive

Help ensure every child starts the school year with confidence.

Requested items: New socks and underwear (youth and adult sizes), and youth size 8 pants, jeans, and shirts for both boys and girls.

August 6 – Dawson Moon Band

School Supply Drive

Help students head back to school prepared for success.

Requested items: Pencils, Pens, Paper, Crayons, Colored pencils, Glue sticks, Folders, Composition notebooks

August 13 – Three Jacks

Cards of Kindness Night

Create handmade cards at the STEAM tables for hospice patients and Meals on Wheels recipients. A small act of kindness can brighten someone's day.

August 20 – Cold Dark Whisky

Baby Essentials Drive

Support local families with much-needed infant care items.

Requested items: Diapers, Wipes, Baby formula, Bottles, Pacifiers, Baby clothing, Other infant care essentials

Volunteers Needed!

We're looking for volunteers to help staff our STEAM Zone and Kids Zone throughout the concert series. If you're interested in volunteering, please contact Arial Howell at ahowell@unitedwayif.org.

A Few Friendly Reminders

Outside alcohol is not permitted.
For the comfort and safety of all guests, please leave pets at home.

We can't wait to spend Thursday evenings with you this summer! Bring your family, invite your friends, enjoy great music, and help make a difference in our community. Every concert supports local children and families—and together, we can create lasting impact while making wonderful summer memories.

Our new ALICE numbers are in — and hard to ignore.

For thousands of families in Eastern Idaho, it’s not one big emergency causing sleepless nights.

It’s the grocery bill.....The rent increase......The child care payment that keeps getting harder to manage.

New data from United For ALICE, in partnership with United Way of Eastern Idaho shows just how many households are being pushed further behind. In 2024, 45% of households in Eastern Idaho were living below the ALICE Threshold — meaning they couldn’t afford the basics, even if they were working. These include families in poverty and ALICE® (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) families with income above the Federal Poverty Level but less than the cost of essentials.

ALICE is our neighbor and friend, deeply woven into the fabric of community life across civic, social, cultural, religious, and recreational spaces. And ALICE workers keep our communities running every day: caring for children and older adults, stocking shelves, preparing meals, helping customers, and more.

But this new data is more than a snapshot of hardship. It’s a tool for action. When we understand what families are really facing, we can make better decisions as neighbors, employers, policymakers, and local leaders to build stronger communities where all households can thrive.

Start by exploring the data at UnitedForALICE.org/Idaho to learn more about ALICE families in our community. Then visit www.unitedwayei.org to see how you can help raise awareness, inform local decisions, and build a brighter, more financially stable future for ALICE and for all.