Yes, it is here again! Treasure Valley businesses, organizations, and individuals will collect books for kids that don’t have any of their own. The latest data indicates that only 1 in 300 low-income children in the Treasure Valley have books of their own.

The drive will take place April 9th-13th, followed by three days of cleaning and sorting books on April 17th-19th.

Complete streets promote user safety and serve people of all abilities. They are developed with the intent of increasing "active transportation" by focusing on walking and biking mobility by integrating people and place in street planning and design. Vision Zero is a strategy to eliminate all traffic fatalities and severe injuries, while increasing safe, healthy, equitable mobility for all.

Breastfeeding is an important activity for mother and child, both for heath and bonding. House Bill 448, is a policy measure to exempt breastfeeding from Idaho's indecent exposure statue, in order to reduce barriers to women being able to respond to breastfeeding when, where and how her child needs to be fed. This bill was introduced into the House Judiciary & Rules Committee by Rep. Paul Amador. Since introduction, it has passed unanimously in the House Committee and Floor. It will be heard by the Senate in early March.

United Way hosted the first Community School 101 educational session. This was a huge success, bringing 80 participants from government, health, school districts, community based organizations and volunteers together for an opportunity to learn, share and create awareness of the Community School Strategy to support whole child health and academic success in learning. Sacajawea Community School in Caldwell is working on building a neighborhood school garden in collaboration with Canyon Hill Church. The garden will serve the families and neighbors of Sacajawea with healthy food options.

To add an extra warm fuzzy to your day, please enjoy the sweet picture below from the senior sock hop at Garden Plaza of Valley View retirement home benefitting United Way. These good folks from the silent and great grenerations were not at all silent last night and they definetley were great! They collected 355 pairs of socks for children in need and threw a party to celebrate! The menu of french fires and spiked rootbeer floats (really) was right up too!