Full Post Style

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) — The Community Food Basket is seeing an outpouring of community support after they posted a challenge called “Show Up and Share IF.”

The Community Food Basket launched the two-week challenge on Monday morning, aiming to raise $10,000 to cover emergency costs. By Tuesday morning, the community had already met and surpassed the target.

The massive outpouring of community support came at a very important time. Local food banks were hit hard when government workers were furloughed and the shutdown stalled SNAP benefits. Amid widespread food insecurity, the Community Food Basket served twice as many families every day compared to their usual numbers.

“We’re incredibly grateful,” said Director Ariel Jackson. “We know this community is amazing. They have been the whole time we’ve been here for 45 years. But, man, when they put their minds together and decide that they’re going to accomplish something, they do it. And we are grateful.”

Though the initial goal was met, the “Show Up and Share IF” challenge is still ongoing to help prepare for future needs. The Community Food Basket has doubled its goal to now raise $20,000, with the new funds intended to help it sustain operations through the high-demand summer months. For more information or to donate, click HERE.

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) — On this day in 1851, the Denny party landed on Alki Point.

A few men in the Pacific Northwest had sent for their families, urging them to “come at once” to what they described as a perfect place to start a new life — so the families packed up, with big dreams of building a new community, and boarded the Schooner Exact.

But on the day they arrived at Alki Point, those dreams hit their first obstacle… the weather.

It rained, and rained, and rained.

The women were less than impressed already, but were completely horrified when they saw the cabin their husbands had been building. It wasn’t even finished yet! Ugh.

Their first winter was so cold, damp, and miserable that in the spring, they packed up, and moved about a dozen miles northeast as the crow flies, across Elliot Bay to a more sheltered spot.

The Duwamish and Suquamish peoples were led by Chief Si’ahl, pronounced “Seattle” (yes, like the city). They helped the Denny party survive those early days, and the settlement that would eventually turn into the iconic city from the hit movie “Sleepless in Seattle” got it’s name in honor of that Chief.

Today, you can find the Alki Point Memorial, which marks the spot where the Denny Party made landfall.

Sources for this story:

HistoryLink

SeattlePi.com

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) — The Federal Government shutdown is over, but part of the reason for the fight remains—subsidies for the Affordable Care Act. Americans are now being faced with some tough choices about medical insurance.

Lance Kolbet, President of University Financial Group and an insurance expert, joined Local News 8 in the studio, to shed light about the finer details of these health insurance tax credits.

Here are the resources he shared with us that you can use for health insurance information:

Idaho Health Insurance Market Place

Idaho Department of Insurance

And if you need help finding a broker:

National Association of Benefits and Insurance Professionals