Village of Hope thanks Kootenai County foster families with dinner

Bouquets of flowers and a hot meal greeted foster families at Village of Hope CDA in Coeur d’Alene, turning a dinner into a public thank-you for the people who keep children in stable homes across Kootenai County and North Idaho. The gathering landed during National Foster Care Month and put the focus on the quiet, practical work that keeps foster care moving.

Emma Finton was among the parents recognized at the event. Finton has fostered more than 30 children since 2022, and The Forgotten Initiative says she became a licensed foster parent in November 2022. Her record reflected the scale of commitment needed from local families who step in for children in crisis and keep showing up long after the first placement.

Chef Tim Mitchell of Mangia Catering Co. prepared dinner for about 30 people, aiming for something welcoming and easy for families who rarely get a break from the demands of caregiving. The menu included gourmet mac and cheese, pulled pork, barbecue sauce, potato salad and sparkling drinks, giving the room the feel of a dinner out without the work that usually comes with it. As each family walked in, they were handed flowers before being served.

The children at the table made the night feel even more immediate. Kenna was especially excited for mac and cheese and practiced spelling her name at high speed, while Dade said he liked mac and cheese and meat. Those small moments underscored what foster care is really about in Kootenai County: not policy on paper, but the daily routines of children who need stability and caregivers who need encouragement to keep going.

Village of Hope CDA says its mission is to bridge the gap between the foster care system and the community by offering tangible support for foster children and the adults caring for them. The organization has said it supports and provides resources for more than 250 child-foster families in North Idaho, backed by a network that includes child-development experts, teachers, nurses, parents, social workers, communications experts and volunteers.

That network has also drawn financial backing. Village of Hope CDA received a $10,000 grant in 2025 to continue helping vulnerable children in North Idaho. For the families who filled the dinner tables in Coeur d’Alene, the message was simpler than a grant report or a policy statement: the community sees the load they carry, and it intends to keep helping them carry it.