Foster Care Furniture offers woodworking training to help kids in need

BOISE, Idaho (CBS2) — Bruce Wingate, the founder of Foster Care Furniture says supporting disadvantaged children is what they are all about.

He explained the program: "We train kids on woodworking and carpentry and we sell the furniture and all the money goes to foster care."

The nonprofit is having its first free training session next month, thanks to a 50 thousand-dollar grant given by the Idaho Workforce Development Council.

Wingate said, "That allows us to hire very, very good instructors, and really do a first-class job training the kids."

For 13 weeks each kid will go through woodworking, carpentry, and construction workshops at The Maker Shop in Boise. The co-owner of The Maker Shop, Alex Jangard, will be a trainer and said he's looking forward to sharing his knowledge.

He said, "As part of our program, we'll be administering the, you know, curriculum. So we have a lot of everything from introductory to construction, all the way to furniture and cabinetry."

Along with the training, CWI will be hosting a job fair, to help give opportunities to the students.

Wingate said,"One of the main purposes of the training is to try and get the kids employed. So if there are any at-risk kids or any aging out foster kids that don't have the support anymore, they have a career or getting some money, they're taken care of."

The nonprofit states the Idaho Department of Labor will pay each trainee $15 an hour, and the Department of Health and Welfare will provide additional counseling on food, housing, and educational assistance.

Wingate said he hopes people recognize how extraordinary the program is and continue to support them.

"If they're going to buy furniture, why not buy from us and help the kids. They get a beautiful piece of furniture. It's not mass-produced in a factory. It's handmade right here,' says Wingate.

To learn more about Foster Care Furniture clickHERE.

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