BLACKFOOT — The Idaho Foster and Adoptive Parent Association will host its second annual Building Hope Festival at The Village Saturday.

The parking-lot-style celebration will be held from noon to 4 p.m. at 250 W. Judicial St. It will include food trucks, a silent and live auction, games and DJ music, with proceeds benefiting foster children and families across Southeast Idaho. Food trucks and vendors slated to attend include Lemon Smashers, The Lunch Box, Food Hub 208, The Berry Cup, The Corn Dog Company Idaho and MD’s Dinky Donuts.

“This festival is one of the biggest ways that we have to make money, so that we can buy the things that our families need that we’re out of,” said Emilee England, director of The Village. “It just kind of helps keep us going.”

That funding often covers necessities foster children arrive without. England said the association has been able to buy shoes for kids whose feet outgrew what they had, and in some cases, bikes for children who had never owned one.

“We’ve had kids that come in who just don’t have the size of shoes that they need. We’re able to go out and purchase or give them a gift card specifically, so that they can get shoes that fit them,” England said. “We’ve had kids that need bikes or have never even ridden a bike. We’ve been able to get bikes with that money.”

England hopes the festival helps shift a common misconception about foster care in the area.

“There are a lot more foster kids than they think, and they come with nothing, and a lot of the community thinks, oh, the state pays for them to be taken care of,” she said. “They give a little bit, but not nearly what the kids need, especially when they come with nothing. We’re able to get them almost everything that they need to get them started, so that the foster parents do not have to worry as much about the financial portion of that.”

The community’s support, England said, is difficult to put into words.

“The community is everything,” she said. “Without the community, we wouldn’t be where we are today.”

Organizers are hoping to draw an even bigger crowd than last year’s inaugural event, England said, with the festival now benefiting from a new building and growing name recognition.

“I think more of the community is aware of who we are, and so I’m just excited to see how many people come out and support us,” she said.

All ages are welcome, and all funds raised benefit Idaho’s foster children.