ABOUT JESSE TREE

Our Programs

Jesse Tree provides financial assistance coupled with case management to households at risk of eviction and homelessness who are being evicted. Case management includes landlord mediation, budgeting help, and housing stability planning, while financial assistance catches people up on the rent that they owe.

 

Our Vision

Jesse Tree envisions a community where all of our neighbors live in safe and stable housing.

Our Mission

Jesse Tree leads the Treasure Valley on preventing eviction and homelessness by supporting our neighbors at risk of housing loss, empowering them to stay in their homes.

Our Values

We are compassionate, reliable, solutions-oriented, and balanced.

Jesse Tree’s History

Jesse Tree was created in 1999 out of direct conversations with people experiencing homelessness. Our founders asked members of the homeless community how they ended up there, and they heard the same story over and over again: people had a difficult, unexpected circumstance come up and got to a place where they couldn’t pay their rent, got evicted, and became homeless. Our founders pooled together funding to give it to people when they needed it most, to keep them in their homes.

When our founders came up with the idea to prevent homelessness, they did national research to see if anyone else was already doing the work. They found an organization called Jesse Tree in Galveston, Texas, visited them, and brought their programs back to Boise, Idaho. Although Jesse Tree is a secular organization, “Jesse Tree” is originally known as the genealogical tree of Jesus in the Bible.

Over 20 years later, Jesse Tree remains true to our original mission: to prevent eviction and homelessness by supporting our neighbors at risk of housing loss, empowering them to stay in their homes.

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility Statement

At Jesse Tree, we are deeply committed to fostering a community where diversity is celebrated, equity is upheld, inclusion is an active practice, and accessibility is ensured for all individuals. Jesse Tree’s organizational values are that we are compassionate, transparent, strengths-based, collaborative, and reliable in our approach. We recognize the inherent value and strength found in the richness of diverse perspectives, experiences, and identities. Jesse Tree envisions a community where all of our neighbors live in safe and stable housing. As a small, grassroots non-profit, our focus remains on the Treasure Valley community we serve.

Our mission to prevent eviction and homelessness in Idaho’s Treasure Valley is underpinned by the belief that every individual deserves to be safely and stably housed, regardless of their background, race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, socioeconomic status, abilities, or any other characteristic.

Jesse Tree is committed to:

  • Doing our part to overcome systemic social, cultural, economic, and historical contributors to inequity.

  • Providing services as a foundational step-up for our neighbors to lift themselves out of financial insecurity.

  • Being transparent and accountable in every aspect of our work and contributing to advancing a more equitable and inclusive community.

  • Creating an environment that embraces and respects the unique differences among our clients, staff, volunteers, board, partners, and the broader community we serve.

  • Promoting equity by addressing systemic barriers perpetuating housing insecurity and financial crises, ensuring fair and just access to our services and resources.

  • Actively seeking diverse perspectives, listening attentively to the needs of marginalized communities, and working collaboratively to create responsive and culturally sensitive solutions.

  • Providing accommodations and removing physical, technological, financial, and informational barriers that may hinder people from accessing our programs and services.

  • Ongoing education, self-reflection, and implementing inclusive practices in all facets of our organization.

  • Taking action toward notable, positive change due to the continuous learning and introspection this work requires.

By embracing diversity, striving for equity, practicing inclusion, and ensuring accessibility, we aim to create a more just, compassionate, and supportive community where everyone has the opportunity to thrive in a place they can call home.