More Than a Place to Live: Creating Opportunities for Kids in Our Affordable Housing Communities

At NeighborWorks® Boise, affordable housing is about more than providing a home people can afford. We want our affordable housing communities to be places where families feel connected, kids have opportunities to learn and grow, and residents have access to programs and resources that make a difference in their lives.

Our partnership with University of Idaho Extension 4-H is a great example of what that looks like.

Each month, Sendy Martinez and Anabel Martinez spend time with kids at our three multifamily properties, bringing activities focused on STEAM—science, technology, engineering, art and math—as well as gardening, cooking, baking, health and nutrition. Just as importantly, they get to know the kids and find out what they are interested in, then build activities around those interests.

At a recent visit to Northwest Pointe Apartments, for example, kids learned how to use a Sphero robot and then used it to play a game of Sharks and Minnows. Other visits have included art projects, cooking and baking, holiday activities and plenty of summer fun.

Bringing opportunities right to our communities

Many families living in NeighborWorks Boise affordable housing earn 80% or less of Area Median Income, and our properties are home to families from many different backgrounds, including New American and refugee families.

Like any parent, the families who live in our communities want their kids to have opportunities to try new things, learn and have fun. But summer camps and fee-based after-school programs can be expensive and aren’t an option for every family.

That’s part of what makes this partnership so valuable. Through NeighborWorks Boise Resident Services programming, partnerships like this bring programs, resources and experiences directly into our affordable housing communities and to the families who live there. With 4-H, that means our kids get opportunities to learn, explore and try new things right in the places they call home.

Kids can try robotics, work on an art project, learn about gardening or cooking, or spend a summer afternoon outside having fun with other kids in their community. They get to explore things they may not have tried before, without cost or transportation getting in the way.

And they get to do it with two people who truly care about them.

“Sendy and Anabel with UI 4-H are amazing with the youth at our multi-family properties, leading them in fun and engaging activities around STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math). They take the time to really get to know our youth and find out what matters to them. Sendy and Anabel are very dedicated and positive educators. We are so grateful for their partnership and commitment to our youth.”

— Angela Paz, Manager of Resident Services, NeighborWorks Boise

A partnership that has grown over the years

Sendy Martinez first connected with NeighborWorks Boise about six years ago when she began her role as a 4-H Senior Instructor. Anabel Martinez joined the team three years ago, and together they have worked to serve youth throughout Ada and Canyon counties.

Sendy has worked with University of Idaho Extension for 12 years, beginning as an intern before working as a Family and Consumer Sciences Coordinator and then moving into her 4-H role. Anabel works as a 4-H program assistant and is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in public health at Boise State University.

When asked what they like most about partnering with NeighborWorks Boise, Sendy Martinez and Anabel Martinez pointed to our commitment to making sure youth at our properties have access to high-quality after-school programs and activities.

A Home Changes Everything

Providing quality, affordable housing is at the center of our work. But our work doesn’t stop at the front door.

Through Resident Services programming and partnerships with organizations like University of Idaho Extension 4-H, we can bring programs, resources and experiences directly into our affordable housing communities. For our kids, that means more chances to learn, explore their interests, build confidence and have fun.

We are so grateful for the time, resources and energy Sendy Martinez and Anabel Martinez bring to our communities each month. They know our kids. They care about what interests them. And they continue to show up with something new for them to experience.

Thank you, Sendy Martinez and Anabel Martinez, and University of Idaho Extension 4-H, for being such an important part of our NeighborWorks Boise communities.

Want to support Resident Services?

Interested in learning more about Resident Services, getting involved or helping provide activities and resources for families in our affordable housing communities? Email residentservices@nwboise.org or click here to view our Resident Services Amazon Wishlist.