Nez Perce County was established February 4, 1864, by the Idaho Territorial Legislature with its county seat at Lewiston and named for the Nez Perce tribe. The present boundaries of Nez Perce County were set in 1911. Lewiston served as the territorial capital for twenty-two months before the capital was moved to Boise.
The Center for Community Building to End Poverty

The Center for Community Building to End Poverty (CCBEP) is a virtual center created in 2008 through a unique collaboration among a private non-profit agency, a land-grant institution, and a monastery to address issues of poverty in a four-state region. This formalized partnership brings together the strengths of academic research and evaluation from the University of Idaho Extension, the skills and expertise of work aimed at ending poverty from the Community Action Partnership, and a model of inclusive, self-sustaining community from the Monastery of St. Gertrude's.
The CCBEP is a grassroots movement to end poverty in our communities and offers several best practices to help people get the power and influence they need to get themselves out of poverty as well as to create a broader awareness of the realities of poverty in our communities.
To learn more about CCBEP:
Mary Schmidt, Administrator
Spirit Center--Monastery of St. Gertrude
(208) 962-2001 or mschmidt@stgertrudes.org
Community Garden: Our Vision

A collaborative effort among Idaho Public Health--North Central District,
Nez Perce County Emergency Management, University of Idaho Extension/
Nez Perce County and North Central Idaho Area Agency on Aging.
1. Improving the food security of individuals and communities
2. Encouraging healthy eating practices
3. Assisting families and communities to become more resilient to disasters
![]()
![]()
Volunteer Income Tax Assistance
Many

eligible Idaho residents are not aware of or do not take advantage of the tax credits available to them, specifically the Earned Income Tax Credit and the child tax credit. To maximize the poverty reducing effects of these tax credits, families and service providers need education about eligibility requirements for tax credits as well as assistance completing the required tax forms.
Free Tax Preparation and E-file
Consumer Credit Counseling
1113 Main Street, Lewiston
(208) 746-0127
AARP Website for list of free tax preparation sites
Military Youth Network | North Central Idaho
In 2011, 250 soldiers deployed to Iraq from north Idaho, most were parents. Local

organizations are partnering to support military youth in our region throughout the deployment cycle of parents and loved ones.