Community members are reminded to ‘Bring It’ – bring non-perishable items to the Greater Idaho Falls Chamber of Commerce Independence Day parade on July 4. The Interfaith Community Service Project (ICSP) and the City of Idaho Falls are teaming up for the second year on the collection drive.
“Watch for float entry number 13 which will be decorated with red, white and blue ‘Bring It’ collection drive banners,” states Public Information Officer Kerry Hammon.
Idaho Falls Mayor Rebecca Casper, City Council members and ICSP will be collecting the items along the traditional parade route, which begins at 4th Street and Holmes, travels south on Boulevard, past Tautphaus Park and ends at Sunnyside Road. The parade begins at 9:00 a.m.
Mayor Casper states, “This year’s parade theme, ‘Guardians of Freedom’ is the perfect descriptor for the many individuals in this community who not only protect our freedoms, but who step up repeatedly to help those who have fallen on difficult times. I am honored to be joining the Interfaith Community Service Project again on this collection drive – every agency involved with ICSP is an exceptional example of the guardians of this community.”
Parade attendees are asked to bring non-perishable items to the parade such as food, clothing, bedding, paper goods, cleaning supplies, school supplies, diapers/pull-ups, bath towels, personal hygiene items and sleeping bags.
Kaaren Parsons, Executive Director for the Idaho Falls Soup Kitchen says, “Our need for donated food items during the summer is extremely high. The many generous donations received during the holiday months begin to deplete, and we count on the Interfaith Community Service Project to help get us by until the fall.”
According to ICSP, an excess of 5000 food items; 2000 men’s, women’s and children’s clothing items; 1000 bedding and bath items; and hundreds of paper goods, cleaning items, toiletry items and school supplies were collected by ICSP in 2016.
“Last year, over fifty volunteers gathered on a single evening to box up, label and deliver the donations. The donations were an outpouring of care that boosted the shelves of many local charities,” states Dr. Fritz Schmutz with ICSP. In addition, more than $16k in donations went to the local charities. “As we worked to light the way for others, we lightened our own way,” adds Schmutz.
All donations will benefit local charitable institutions including the Idaho Rescue Mission, Friends in Service Here (FISH), Hospice of Eastern Idaho, Domestic Violence & Sexual Abuse Center, The Haven, Idaho Falls Community Food Bank, Idaho Falls Community Outreach Center Soup Kitchen and Idaho Falls St. Vincent de Paul (outlet).
Donations can also be taken anytime to the following sponsoring churches: First Evangelical Lutheran, First Presbyterian, Hope Lutheran, New Day Lutheran, St. Luke’s Episcopal, St. Paul’s United Methodist, Trinity United Methodist and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Ammon West Stake).
Media Note: For more information or to schedule an interview with city staff, contact Public Information Officer Kerry Hammon. ###