JEMfriends

Work hard, play hard...JEMfriends style! ☀️🎉
Our Amanda House girls soaked up the sun with games, laughter, and a scavenger hunt adventure with their ILS and RA. Fun is part of the journey too, and we love creating moments that help them grow, bond, and breathe.

We feel the love and support! Mercy and our JEMyouth Lilly recently organized all the donations we received this year from church drives, our wishlist, and many individual donations. Our community is the best! 🫶

Planning for the JEMfriends Gala has officially begun, and we can’t wait to share some big news soon! If you’ve never been, the Gala is our most meaningful night of the year, a celebration of youth courage, community generosity, and the transformational work happening at JEMfriends. Stay tuned… this year is going to be something special.

Our first-ever Youth Achievement Auction was a blast! 🎉
JEMyouth earned points through Stepping Stones, volunteering, and Phase milestones — then bid on amazing prizes donated by Lennar Homes and Eagle/Garden City Rotary. Huge shoutout to Diana Witt for putting together the incredible gift baskets, Covenant Presbyterian for hosting, Meridian Kiwanis for dinner, and Jake Pinedo for bringing the auction energy. Our youth are already excited to earn even more points next time! -Garden City Rotary Club of Idaho

We are overwhelmed with gratitude for our partners at Lennar Homes.
Their extraordinary generosity is helping JEMfriends open a new home for youth aging out of foster care, a place where safety, stability, and community can take root.
This gift doesn’t just fund a house.
It builds a future.
It tells our youth, “You matter. You belong. We’re with you.”
Thank you, Lennar, for believing in our mission and investing in the lives of young people in our community.
This partnership is already transforming what’s possible.
More updates coming soon...big things are happening. 😍🏠

Say hello to Conner, our new RA at Friends House! He’s a Michigan native, ministry student at NNU, builder of all things, and low‑key dinosaur expert. Conner joined JEMfriends because he felt called to a community that supports people right where they’re at. He’s most excited to build relationships, encourage growth, and help create a strong, Christ‑centered home. We’re thrilled he’s here!

Jazmyn is sporting her super cute new glasses. Part of the Community Stepping Stone is navigating and utilizing healthcare. As adults, most of us have become pros at figuring out how to find a doctor, make an appointment, and use insurance. All that can feel daunting the first time. Congrats Jazmyn on getting it done and on your stylish glasses!

Thanks to our EmpowerWorks partner, the Idaho Youth Ranch, Lilly has begun YouthWorks, an 8-week, paid, on-the-job training designed to give young people the experience they need to succeed. Lilly also works another part-time job. Congratulations on working towards your Employment Stepping Stone and taking advantage of all the programs JEMfriends offers! You got this!

Calling All Creatives! We’re excited to open a new volunteer role for a Graphic Design Volunteer to help shape JEMfriends’ visual storytelling. This role supports our newsletters, social media posts, and marketing materials, all tools that help our youth feel seen and supported by their community. We’re looking for someone who can commit about 5 hours per week, work remotely, and join us for occasional office check‑ins. Experience with Canva and Constant Contact is ideal. If you or someone you know loves design and wants to make a meaningful impact contact [email protected].