When Random Acts Finance Manager Suzie Scrivner first saw tiny houses popping up near her home, she assumed that a business was building and selling them. This was a reasonable guess, since tiny houses are rising in popularity. Then, the tiny houses started moving. One ended up parked in the street by Suzie’s backyard. At that point, her curiosity was piqued. A little bit of digging later, Suzie learned that the Idaho Tiny House Association, a nonprofit organization, is building these tiny houses for those experiencing homelessness. She reached out to Idaho Tiny House Association President Matthew Scott to learn more about how she could help the organization.
Idaho Tiny House
Idaho Tiny House is a nonprofit based in Boise, Idaho. Since 2015, they have been working to address homelessness by constructing tiny houses. President Matthew Scott knows first hand how debilitating it can be to experience homelessness. The organization’s vision “is to create self-contained tiny home micro-communities to house homeless and low income individuals and families in a safe and healthy environment.”
More Than a Home
The Idaho Tiny House Association does more than simply provide previously unhoused people with the security of “a bed to sleep in and a door to lock.”. Once they have a home, residents experience a sense of community. Their mental health often improves, and they are able to start thinking about future goals. These goals may include accessing other community resources, finding care for physical or mental health, starting a new job, securing permanent housing, and more. Having a place to call home makes it possible for people to see past their current housing crisis into a brighter future.
Tech Support
When Suzie asked Matthew about what items would be most helpful, he suggested computers and prepaid cell phones. Computers and cell phones are often overlooked when providing resources to those experiencing homelessness. But they play a vital role in both everyday life and a person’s path to achieving their goals. Suzie used Random Acts funding to buy three two-in-one tablets and three prepaid cell phones (each with two months of prepaid service) for those living in Idaho Tiny House Association homes. The residents can use the computers and phones to contact friends and family, research and sign up for community resources, apply for jobs, find educational material, learn about new opportunities, and more! A little tech support truly does go a long way.
We are so thankful for the important work that the Idaho Tiny House Association is doing and so glad that Suzie brought them to our attention. You can read more about the Idaho Tiny House Association here or learn about ways to help them here. Need help pulling off an act of kindness in your community? Tell us all about it—we may be able to help!