Building better lives: How the Frontier Foundations turns community support into local impact

A new pair of shoes. Help paying for college. Support for a local youth organization. Thousands of hours spent volunteering.

Individually, they may seem like small pieces of a much bigger picture. But together, they represent what the Frontier Foundation is working to accomplish throughout Idaho: Building Better Lives.

The Frontier Foundation is a 501(c)(3) charity run by Frontier Credit Union employees, but its roots go back long before the Foundation officially existed. Frontier’s tradition of giving began in 1987 with Coins for Christmas, a program built around a simple idea: kids helping kids.

Over the years, that tradition has grown into something much bigger.

In 2022, Frontier brought Coins for Christmas and Kicks for Kids together under the Frontier Foundation, creating an organization focused on expanding its reach and making an even greater difference for children and communities throughout Idaho.

And today, the impact can be measured in more than dollars.

Turning dollars into a difference

In 2025 alone, Frontier Credit Union and the Frontier Foundation made an impact across Idaho:

• $55,000 in shoes provided to children in need
• $12,000 in scholarships awarded to graduating high school seniors
• $22,377 in additional donations benefiting local youth
• 6,286 volunteer hours contributed by Frontier employees

Together, that represents $89,377 in shoes, scholarships and other financial support for Idaho youth in a single year. Plus thousands of hours spent by employees serving their communities.

But the numbers only tell part of the story.

Behind every dollar is a child who walked into school with a new pair of shoes. A graduating senior who received a little extra help taking the next step in their education. A local organization with more resources to serve kids and families. And behind those 6,286 volunteer hours are Frontier employees choosing to spend their time making their communities stronger.

Sometimes, it starts with a pair of shoes

One of the Foundation’s longest-running efforts is Kicks for Kids, which helps provide new shoes to children in need throughout Idaho.

It’s a simple thing that can make a big difference.

A new pair of shoes can mean being able to participate in gym class, play with friends or walk into school feeling a little more confident. For families facing financial challenges, it can also mean one less expense to worry about.

What began decades ago with Coins for Christmas has grown into an ongoing effort to make sure Idaho kids have access to something many of us might otherwise take for granted.

In 2025, that effort resulted in $55,000 worth of shoes going to children who needed them.

Golfing for a greater good

Supporting that work takes more than one organization. It takes a community willing to get involved.

One of the Frontier Foundation’s biggest fundraising traditions is its annual golf tournament, which brings together local businesses, sponsors, golfers and community partners for a day of friendly competition with a much bigger purpose.

Teams take to the course, businesses sponsor the event and supporters come together to raise money for the Foundation and the programs it supports.

The tournament has grown over the years, giving more people and businesses an opportunity to become directly involved in the Foundation’s mission.

And once the last putt drops, the impact continues.

Money raised through events like the golf tournament helps become shoes for a child, scholarship dollars for a graduating senior and support for organizations working with young people throughout Idaho.

Investing in Idaho’s next generation

The Foundation’s work doesn’t stop at meeting immediate needs.

Education is another important piece of its mission. Through its scholarship program, the Frontier Foundation helps graduating high school seniors continue their education and take their next steps after high school.

In 2025, $12,000 in scholarships was awarded to graduating seniors.

In 2026, that commitment is growing, with the Foundation offering $15,000 across seven scholarships, including the Arlene Walker Scholarship, named in honor of Frontier’s first president and CEO.

Whether it’s helping a student prepare for college or helping a child walk into school wearing a new pair of shoes, the idea behind the Foundation remains the same: give young people the support they need to keep moving forward.

Want to help Build Better Lives?

The Frontier Foundation’s work is made possible by Frontier employees, members, local businesses and community supporters. Donations help support programs like Kicks for Kids, scholarships and other initiatives benefiting youth throughout Idaho.

To learn more about the Frontier Foundation or make a donation, visit frontiercreditunion.com/foundation.