The Nagel Foundation funds programs and organizations in four focus areas—basic needs, education, medical needs and youth programs.
 
Basic Needs

The primary direction of the foundation is to support programs providing the basic needs of food, clothing and shelter. In 2011, Idaho ranked 41st nationally in per capita income, ranked in the top 10 in home foreclosures, had a 12.1% poverty rate and a 9.3% unemployment rate*. Many people in southwest Idaho are considered ‘working poor’. Idaho jobs pay nearly $11,000 per employee less than the national average, and programs for the poor in Idaho saw a $108 million reduction in state and federal funding in 2011. The foundation strives to assist people experiencing the greatest hardships.

In 2011, the foundation funded organizations in this category which included the Boise Rescue Mission’s City Light program, providing shelter and education for homeless women and children, the Salvation Army in Boise, Nampa, Caldwell and their Dress-a-Child event, the Assistance League of Boise Operation School Bell program which provides new clothes and shoes for needy children, and the Society of St. Vincent de Paul home visitation and assistance program, among others.

Education

Idaho ranks 43rd in the United States when it comes to the number of its students going on to obtain a college education after high school.

Idaho’s youth are the future of our society. The foundation funds organizations that actively promote and act as a ‘safety net’ for our most vulnerable population. Many funded organizations work with children from single-parent homes, those from unstable home environments and those with great basic needs. Given an opportunity, we believe these children can develop their full potential as productive, confident citizens who will ‘pass it forward’.

The board focuses on college scholarships as the means to encourage Idaho high school seniors to make a difference for Idaho’s future. These scholarships are given to nursing students at Boise State University and Northwest Nazarene University in Nampa. Not only is there a family connection, but the scholarships also represent the board’s belief that nursing is an honorable profession that meets the most basic principle of caring for others.

Other education programs supported by the foundation include the Warhawk Air Museum’s underprivileged student field trips program, summer reading camps at The Cabin literary center, and the Idaho Stampede Community Foundation’s “Read to Achieve” program in schools.

Medical Needs

Because a significant number of Idahoans are ‘working poor’, the need for affordable health care is also great. The foundation supports organizations providing free or significantly-reduced health care services for these individuals, including Terry Reilly Health Services, which receives funds for counseling children who are victims of sexual abuse, and programs at the Syringa House in Nampa helping rehabilitate girls who have been abused and neglected, and providing for camp experiences for kids with medical issues at the Camp Rainbow Gold cancer camp, the Muscular Dystrophy Association camp in McCall, and Camp Hodia’s diabetes camp.

Youth Programs

Idaho’s youth are the future of our society. The foundation generally funds organizations that actively promote and act as a ‘safety net’ for our most vulnerable population. Many funded organizations work with children from single-parent homes, those from unstable home environments, and those who have great basic needs. Given a chance, we believe these kids can develop their full potential as productive future citizens.

The foundation funds programs for youth development at the Boys and Girls Clubs of Ada and Canyon counties, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, Life’s Kitchen, and the Mentoring Network in Canyon County.