Serving Those Who Protect Others

Our Mission

Our Community,
Our Responsibility

Our mission is to give back to our first responders, especially those who are injured, terminally ill, or killed in the line of duty. We accomplish this by executing annual fundraising opportunities with the intent of building first responders social awareness within Kootenai County and our surrounding community, articulating the critical needs of first responders who experience unforeseen catastrophes through grant making. Finally, we support the dependents of first responders with merit-based scholarship towards the life affirming event of a child graduating high school and contributing to our community as they enter higher education opportunities.

Did You Know?

5 Years

The average lifespan of a police officer after retirement

6th

The ranking of police, firefighters, corrections workers, and others in protective services on the CDC's list for suicidality by occupational group

12 Years Less

The average lifespan of a police officer compared to the general populace

1 In 3

The estimated amount of first responders that develop behavioral health conditions, including PTSD

Why Red & Blue Foundation?

Our Impact

By the Numbers

of donations raised by our organization are used to help First Responders
0 %
in awards have been made to first responders in Kootenai County since 2005
$ 0
the total of 39 awards made to first responders and their families since 2020
$ 0
the total of 48 scholarships that have been awarded to graduating seniors of first responders since the creation of our merit scholarship program in 2010
$ 0
in scholarships are awarded each year to graduating seniors of first responders in Kootenai County and surrounding areas
$ 0

We're no longer just another donation, but the steady hand that guides people through a crisis. Working to provide education, coordinated resource management as well as any necessary monies to offer a complete resolution and ultimately peace of mind during terrible events.

A global approach...it's what the founders talked about when it started.

About Us

Your Questions,
Our Answers

We receive multiple questions regarding our organization. Here are the answers to some of our most frequently asked questions.

Did You Know?
Everyone on Red & Blue Foundation's Board of Directors are volunteers and are not paid for their efforts.
Did You Know?
Red & Blue Foundation does not have an office.
Did You Know?
Red & Blue Foundation has been the primary conduit for financial relief in several unexpected tragic events involving Kootenai County first responders.
Did You Know?
All financial awards are strictly confidential between the requesting first responder and the Board of Directors. Red & Blue Foundation does not advertise or post on social media their interactions with first responders in need.
Did You Know?
Recipients of financial aid from Red & Blue Foundation are not required to pay back the award.
Did You Know?
Red & Blue Foundation assists over 400 first responders who serve in Kootenai County, Idaho.
Did You Know?
Red & Blue Foundation has donated $12-15K to the Coeur d'Alene Police Foundation, a non-profit organization supporting first responders in the Coeur d'Alene area.
Did You Know?
Red & Blue Foundation receives no city, county, state or federal financial assistance. The organization is a non-taxable public charity that receives funding from local businesses and individual contributions only.
Did You Know?
Red & Blue Foundation has paid registration fees for first responders to attend health & wellness conferences as well as provided food donations for multiple funeral events, high school backpack night, high school safety proms, and fire seminars.
Did You Know?
Of the 12 Fire and Police agencies in Kootenai County, 3 agencies participate in voluntary payroll deduction programs that help fund our efforts.

Our organization was created to support and assist first responders who are injured, terminally ill, or killed in the line of duty. The funds we raise go to support these first responders and their families. 

We are unique in that we also support those who are usually not covered by insurance, which includes volunteer firefighters, fiancées of first responders, and stepchildren of first responders. We also include agencies who normally don’t participate in fundraising efforts, such as probation and parole officers.

Outside of donations, our funds come from fundraisers and voluntary payroll deductions from some of our first responders in the area. A significant amount of funds come from members of our organization and our first responders.

$10,000 of the funds raised each year are awarded to graduating seniors of first responders. The rest of the funds are used to meet the needs of first responders in our communities. These include emergencies such as injuries and Line of Duty Deaths (LODD) as well as long term illnesses like cancer. 

All unused funds are held in reserve for the next first responder in need. This allows us to respond quickly to sudden emergencies that are otherwise difficult to fund.

We have a contact at each department in the area they can go to, or they can come directly to one of the members on our Board of Directors. Someone else can also bring us their name if the first responder in need does not want to do it themselves.

It’s a case by case basis. If it was a Line of Duty Death (LODD), then we do what we can to meet immediate needs. If the first responder has been gone for awhile, it might be outside of our scope.

Currently, our only fundraising event is our Annual Memorial Golf Tournament held in August. We also participate in other events including 24 Hour Peak Bike Ride, Pennies For Protectors, Community Sponsored Fundraising Beneficiaries, and Holidays & Heroes. We are planning our first annual gala for 2024; more information regarding this event will come soon.

To learn more about the events we host, click here.

We have several ways you can support our first responders and their families. Donations are always appreciated, and you can choose how much and how frequently you want to donate. Outside of donations, you can always volunteer at one of our events. Businesses also have the option to help sponsor our events.

Did You Know?
Everyone on Red & Blue Foundation's Board of Directors are volunteers and are not paid for their efforts.
Did You Know?
Red & Blue Foundation does not have an office.
Did You Know?
Red & Blue Foundation has been the primary conduit for financial relief in several unexpected tragic events involving Kootenai County first responders.
Did You Know?
All financial awards are strictly confidential between the requesting first responder and the Board of Directors. Red & Blue Foundation does not advertise or post on social media their interactions with first responders in need.
Did You Know?
Recipients of financial aid from Red & Blue Foundation are not required to pay back the award.
Did You Know?
Red & Blue Foundation assists over 400 first responders who serve in Kootenai County, Idaho.
Did You Know?
Red & Blue Foundation has donated $12-15K to the Coeur d'Alene Police Foundation, a non-profit organization supporting first responders in the Coeur d'Alene area.
Did You Know?
Red & Blue Foundation receives no city, county, state or federal financial assistance. The organization is a non-taxable public charity that receives funding from local businesses and individual contributions only.
Did You Know?
Red & Blue Foundation has paid registration fees for first responders to attend health & wellness conferences as well as provided food donations for multiple funeral events, high school backpack night, high school safety proms, and fire seminars.
Did You Know?
Of the 12 Fire and Police agencies in Kootenai County, 3 agencies participate in voluntary payroll deduction programs that help fund our efforts.

Your Support Matters

Get Involved

We have several ways for you to help our first responders in Kootenai County and surrounding communities.

Donations

We have several donation options available for your consideration. In addition to a one-time donation option, we have three tiers of reoccurring donations.

Sponsorships

We put on a variety of fundraisers to both show our first responders in Kootenai County that we appreciate them, as well as raise money to support our mission of helping first responders in our county in the event of a catastrophic event.

We do this in part by partnering with supportive sponsors in our area to make our events as successful as possible. If you would like to partner with us, please reach out to see what sponsorship levels we have available. We’d be happy to have you!

Volunteer

Our fundraisers would not be possible without the volunteer efforts of our community members. If you would like to help at an event, please view our current opportunities and sign up. We would love to have you!

Greetings!

In the past year alone, in almost 90,000 instances, your law enforcement and fire departments have answered the call, stood in the gap, and put themselves in the line of fire for the citizens and businesses of this great county and community. Now we are asking you to help us.

Red & Blue Foundation is a recognized and reputable non-profit benevolent fund put in place to assist and support fire and law enforcement professionals who are seriously injured, terminally ill, or killed in the line of duty. The fund was created to offset the tremendous expenses for our protectors and their families facing difficulties such as these. To date, the Foundation has granted twenty-eight awards to directly aid these uniquely special people and their families. Additionally, the Foundation has provided financial scholarships to college bound dependents of first responders since 2010, totaling over $63K.

We have the opportunity to stand in the gap, alongside First Responders, because of people like you. As a non-profit, we depend on the charitable contributions of individuals and corporations to fund our grants. We ask you to aid us in our endeavors and sponsor this most worthy of causes. Every donation, no matter how small, helps our mission. Won’t you please take a moment to help those who have made it their life’s work by being there to help others? We would truly appreciate any contribution you can make, as will those whose lives will be made better by it. Thank you.

Sincerely,

Tom Hiltenbrand

President of Red & Blue Foundation

Tax Payer ID #20-3926660