President / Executive Director(Elishia) IT / Treasurer (Jon)Founders
Elishia Gift is the biological mother of 3, step-mother to 1, foster mother to 5 and grandmother to 1 beautiful grandchild. Running a household of 12 is chaotic on its best day, to add to the chaos, she runs a non-profit organization that she and her husband started from the ground up. Today, Northern Nevada Moses Project is a thriving nonprofit that strives to support a community in need. This is how it started. August 2020 Elishia Gift and her husband Jon Gift became licensed foster parents in the state of Nevada. They would soon learn just how unprepared they were for foster children and learn just how much support children placed in care needed. Many children come with nothing but the clothing on their back. It became painfully obvious to the Gift family, that there was an overwhelming need for support in rural Northern Nevada for foster children, foster families, homeless youth, and families in crisis. By September 2020, Northern Nevada Moses Project was born. In March of 2021, Northern Nevada Moses Project was founded officially on State, City and Federal levels from the ground up. March 2021 a fellow foster parent started the Reno branch, under the new official 501(c)3 status. June 2022, Elishia and Jon opened the Foster Boutique in downtown Elko. June 2022, a fellow foster parent started the Fernley branch under the 501(c)3. October 2022, the Northern Nevada Moses Project added an emergency pantry in Elko, soon to be one in Spring Creek. January 2023, a former foster youth started the Winnemucca branch under the 501(c)3. In just over 2 years the Northern Nevada Moses Project has grown enough to cover most of rural Northern Nevada’s foster community with 4 different branches. In 2022, 357 children were given support in the form of clothing, shoes, beds, bedding, food, toiletries, gift cards, cleaning supplies, furniture, and miscellaneous requests. Northern Nevada Moses project is currently run by foster parents and former foster youth that donate their time and resources selflessly. This is all done to raise confidence levels of foster children, giving these children back a sense of power and ease some of the uncertainty that comes with being placed into foster care or having the stigma of further impoverished conditions. It is a labor of love, with all of our support coming solely from community support. It is truly humbling to see so many people and businesses come together to support our most vulnerable population!
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Elko Foster Boutique Manager
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Hi, I am Margaret Marcucci. I was born and raised in Lovelock, Nevada. Over the years, I have built my life around family and community, cherishing the connections I have made along the way. I am the proud parent of three children and the grandmother of three granddaughters who live here in Elko. For more than 40 years, I have lived in and out of Elko, Nevada. Throughout my time here, I have grown to deeply appreciate the way this community comes together in times of need. The spirit of support and unity is something I hold dear. I am actively involved in local organizations, including Elko Kiwanis and Great Basin Elks. In addition to my volunteer work, I am employed by the Rural Center for Independent Living, where I work with people with disabilities of all ages. My career has been dedicated to special education. I served as a special education teacher for several years, working for Eureka County, the Nevada Youth Training Center, and eventually retiring in 2012 from the Lander County School District. My passion for working with individuals of all ages has always been at the core of my professional journey. I became aware of the Northern Nevada Moses Project and gained insight into foster and guardianship families thanks to a very special person who continues to be an important part of my life. This experience opened my eyes to the unique challenges and needs of these families. My late husband and I wanted to do foster care. Sadly, He passed away in 2011. Last year, I had the opportunity to help with Turkey for Kids, an experience I truly enjoyed. Although this year I was unable to work in the Northern Nevada Moses Project Foster Boutique due to changes in circumstances, I remain a strong supporter of Turkey for Kids. My involvement with VFW Post 2350 included collecting boxes for the project and finding items for families in need. These efforts have allowed me to contribute directly to making a positive impact on our community and the Northern Nevada Moses Project. I love being a part of the Northern Nevada Moses Project. This is my second year as a board member.
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