A Very Warm Thank You

Spring 2014

NEWSLETTERPresidentKamie Brown

President ElectMatt WillesSecretaryBob Allen

TreasurerPaul Christenson

Past PresidentRobert HydeExecutive DirectorMatthew M. Minkevitch

Board of TrusteesRob BroughDavid H. Burton Gary E. CarlsonTwinkle ChisholmDale CoxDain Craig Erica DahlDoug DuehlmeierSteve EliasonChip EverestRichard FetzerBrandt GoblePhillip HillJoseph HortonLee ImlayJennifer A. JohnsonJulie LuHugh A. MeadowsDr. Robin MainwaringJana SabaDoug SmithTony SmithKerry SteadmanDaela Taeoalii-HiggsSusan TaggartRay Whitney

Matt M. Minkevitch Executive Director - The Road Home

The Road Home Mission: Our mission at

The Road Home is tohelp people step out of

homelessness and back into our community.

To read more about our programs please see page 2.

www.theroadhome.orgDonate. Volunteer. Learn.

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Dear Friends, Each year I am more and more overwhelmed by the support we get from the community at our Holiday Media-A-Thon. This year was no exception. We received more support than we ever have before and were able to reach goals that years ago seemed unreachable.

As I watch families and individuals come through our doors each day, I am touched by their dire circumstances. Yet, I am amazed by how tirelessly they work to get out of their circumstances. They strive each day for those unreachable goals, and we celebrate with them when they reach new heights they never thought they could reach. Each family and individ-ual that reached the unreach-able goals would not have been able to without the support of such an incredible community.

During our Holiday Media-A-Thon I was truly humbled by stories behind the donations made. Families that had saved their dollars and coins all year so they could give to people who are in need of support. Teens who saved whole or partial parts of their check each month so that they could donate to the programs we have here to help get people back into housing. Individuals who at one point stayed here at the shelter, but are now back on their feet donating because they feel that someone out there needs the same chance for a better life that they had.

I was inspired by the amount of in-kind donations that came in. I saw boxes and boxes of toys for the children in both our downtown and winter overflow shelters. There were so many people, who lovingly hand

knit hats and scarves to protect men, women and children from the cold. I was touched by the many companies and individu-als who held donation drives to gather the life saving items that are needed in large quantities to support the people we serve. I am so grateful for everyone and their hard work to gather these items.

I am so incredibly thankful to all of our match sponsors and their generosity during this holiday season. Together with the private donations from individuals, schools, foundations, religious groups, and companies we were able to reach a record breaking $1.5 million. This money is priceless, because it represents all the lives that will benefit from housing, case management, shelter, and children’s programs we have here at the shelter. I am also so thankful for my wonderful teammates who work tirelessly, and with relentless commitment to make each day a better day for the people who walk through our doors. I am truly grateful to be a part of such a group. I can’t adequately express how much your support means to us, but more importantly how much it means to the people who are so desperately trying to cre-ate a better life for themselves and their families. Thank you for the hope you bring to all of us.

“I saved up my allowance this year to make sure homeless people have a place to stay.” - Jonah, Age 7

THE ROAD HOME HOUSING PROGRAMS AND SERVICES

We have a wide variety of programs that help individuals and families:

HOUSING PROGRAMOur approach is to help people get into well-matched housing options as quickly as possible after they come to the shelter. We then work to help them sustain their new housing.

PALMER COURTPalmer Court, a permanent supportive housing development, was completed in 2009. Now filled to capacity, Palmer Court provides affordable apartments for families and individuals emerging from homelessness.

SELF-SUFFICIENCY PROGRAMSome individuals and families face a harder road from shelter to housing. This program utilizes case managers to address those challenges.

SHELTERThroughout the year, The Road Home provides emergency shelter to families and individuals through our main shelter and Community Winter Shelter.

EMERGENCY SERVICESThis office assists individuals and families with essential needs they may have, such as clothing or social services.

THE ROAD HOME NEWSLETTER SPRING 2014

Ending Homelessness for Chronically Homeless Veterans

Over the past year, The Road Home Housing Teams elevated our efforts to end homelessness for Veterans experiencing Chronic Homelessness. We worked to develop new mechanisms to identify Veterans on the streets or in shelters, engage them and let them know about housing options, determine eligibility and help them move out of homelessness and into housing in the community.

Our efforts were due in large part to a community wide collaboration where

service providers all worked together to impact one population. We achieved huge success and went from a list of 220 Veterans believed

to be chronically homeless to a list of less than 10 who are known to be chronically homeless. We will continue to fine tune our system and evolve as populations and funding sources change.

Our efforts taught us many things, including one major lesson: when we focus our energy and resources on one thing and work together to change a system that has not worked well, we can accomplish amazing things.

EXCITING NEWS

Our Veterans program has helped 92 veterans step back into the community. We continue to search for these wonderful people so we can assist them in finding the resources and programs they need to help them find a home.

This astounding work has received national attention from the President. During his national meeting with mayors, President Obama mentions the great work Salt Lake City is doing for these brave Veterans.

Dear Friends:

As you know, through tremendous community outreach efforts, 100 chronically homeless veterans were identified in the Salt Lake Valley last fall. Our community, with a commitment to work together, determined to house those 100 veterans in 100 days. By the end of December, we could taste the fruits of our efforts. Of the 100 chronically homeless veterans initially identified, 92 were either housed or in the process of being housed. The remaining eight veterans declined participation in the voucher program.

That achievement means a lot to our community – it especially means a lot to the individuals and families whose quality of life was improved. At a national meeting of mayors this week, President Obama specifically noted the efforts of Salt Lake City. As I listened to the President speak, I was reminded of the incredible, dedicated service providers in our community. Thank you for your work. Thank you for your commitment to the work you do. Salt Lake City’s progress and success is only possible through your deep dedication and compassionate outreach. I was and am incredibly proud of the work we are doing and have finished.

Warm Regards,

Mayor Becker

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Mayor Becker recognizes the great work Salt Lake City is doing to end homelessness for Chronically Homeless

Veterans.

When asked why he was not able to connect with his VA benefits in the past Mark replied, “It’s like my head is broken, I don’t know how to do

things sometimes, and I can’t remember things.”

Thank you to all those who volunteered with us last year and helped make 2013 a huge success! We are excited for this coming year and all the volunteer opportunities 2014 has in store.

Thank you to our ongoing volunteer groups who have helped us continue our pre-school and art programs at our downtown and Midvale shelters. These continuous activities are vital to our children. These groups participate

weekly and positively engage with our children. They have instructed structure and stability. Our children look forward to the days these groups come and we greatly appreciate their ongoing support.

Volunteers play a key role in the success of all our Children’s Programs. Playgroup and Book Club are something kids from ages 4 - 12 look forward to.

Alee Holbrook, our Book Club Program Co-Director, describes her feelings about this wonderful program, “Reading has always been my escape from life when I cannot actually get away. At the Book Club Program, Molly and I want to create a space where kids could come exercise their imagination and momentarily escape to fictional,

safe, adventurous universes where their hardships and struggles are not as apparent as they are in reality.” Alee, Molly, and our book club volunteers have definitely created a safe space where kids can come expand their imagination and feel the immense love from these dedicated volunteers.

To become a part of any of these wonderful programs, please visit: www.theroadhome.org/volunteer/

OUR INCREDIBLE VOLUNTEERS

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THE ROAD HOME NEWSLETTER SPRING 2014

“Volunteering at The Road Home is a humbling experience that has made me so grateful for all of the bounty and comforts in my life.”

- Lindsay DeWitt, Playgroup Volunteer

Success Story: Nicole and Rick

Nicole and Rick are an elderly couple who approached me in hopes of finding a way out of the shelter. They had spent several years in homelessness. I was puzzled as to why these two people who appeared to have some of the most dedication and willingness to follow through with housing opportunities, were still in the shelter.

As I met with them more often, I discovered that they had been denied senior housing several times, and were never given a clear reason. We finally decided to contact the reporting agency who had successfully caused their denial time and time again to find out – to our surprise – that they had Rick listed as a sex offender. Rick was not a sex offender and never had been, so we spent some time contacting the police in the state where he was registered only to find out that an officer

had “erroneously“ marked him as one. I asked that they remove this immediately and contact the reporting agencies to clear Rick’s name. Within a week after they cleared his name, Rick and Nicole were contacted by a housing agency and were accepted into a senior housing complex that was income-based.

Through designated housing funds, The Road Home was immediately able to pay all move in fees, and the first two month’s rent. Even more exciting for the couple – the landlord at his apartment complex happened to be the niece of Rick’s favorite NFL quarterback. I can’t recall many events in my life where I had the opportunity to witness the kind of happiness that I witnessed the day they moved in.*The names of the individuals in the story have been changed to protect their privacy.

Emergency ServicesEmergency Services

assists homeless and low income clients with short-term needs. Some of which include employment related services such as bus tokens, work boots, state IDs, and flagging certifications. Emergency Services is also able to assist with travel assistance, birth certificates, and basic needs such as socks and hygiene items.

Last year, Emergency Services was able to assist 3,807 people with their short-term needs. Without some of these basic short-term needs, many of our clients stay stuck in a bad situation. However, with a little bit of help, they are able to make large strides in changing their situation. Emergency Services s a vital part of our organization and we are so grateful for all the hard work they do.

THE ROAD HOME NEWSLETTER SPRING 2014

A HUGE THANK YOU TO OUR MATCH SPONSORSfor our Holiday Media-A-Thon

and our IN KIND

SPONSORS:

Gifts made in Memory & Honor from September 2013 - January 2014

IN HONOR OF

Al and Joan EggertAlice GriffinAllison JenkinsAlma Irene WilcoxAmelia KirkhamAnn StringhamAnna ShelleyArthur & Margo GriffinBetty YanowitzBill & Sharleen JolleyBob & Judy MahoskeyBob & Kathy BardsleyBob & Robin ProvstgaardBob ShortBrady & Jerolyn WilliamsBrett HopkinsBruce JensenBryce MossCaitlin WilliamsCathy BussCandace & Tim DeeCarol HunterCatherine ValovickCathy Smith & FamilyCeleste EggertCharles PughCharles & Luana RobertsChris CoxChris KaneruistoChris Pavlus & Mary BeachChristian & Kimberly JuddChyna & Park baby 2014Clarence CobbClark ArchboldColleen O’Brien

Connie NeylanConrad HintzeDaniel GriffinDave & Elena KellyDave & Shauna TurnerDavid McGrathDavid OverturfDavis BurtenshawDenna HaleDJ PetersonDonger (Baby) DuehlmeierDoreen MetzgerDr. Dean JarmanDr. Dick NelsonDoug WellingEddie & Dawn WilsonElise, Jack & Lizzie ThomasElwin SedwickEricErin GroscostEthan G. ClarkEthan ScottEvelyn GarlingtonFisher FamilyGary Collier FamilyGatherum-Andersen FamiliesGeorge GreenwellGeorgia ReedGerald FlemingGrandchildren of Carol!Greg & Tricia PannierGreg Sueoka Gretta BaurHans JenkinsHarris H. SimmonsHelen and Mario Gandolfi

HenryHoang Chi TrangIrene Dudley WankierJack & Mary BottinoJaime HastingsJan EvansJanet StowellJed and Harmony CrowtonJeffery FarrerJennifer Hawkins and FamilyJensen and Stillman FamiliesJerry GriffinJessie JohnsonJohn & Holly MargettsJohn FarrerJohn GarffJoluut VanderhooftJori TaukiuveaJoshua CallawayJoshua DavisJune FasslerKaren FergusonKatherine OrlowskiKathy HurdKevin GillarsKevin HivelyKevin ShumwayKimberly HoukKira GriffinKlaus & Beverly GoellerKristin DeherreraKristin GublerLarry D. JohnsonLawson Christmas Party

Leslie & PatLinda Robinson WhiteLinda RootMadalyn WatsonMaggie WeidauerMargetts KlanMarilyn CummingsMarilyn TreshowMark & Melanie MorganMathis FamilyMary Ann LewisMatt YurickMcInsy ToponceMerle PeratisMichael Paul EvansMike & Camille CameronMike & Cathy KellyMike & Dorothy ChournosMike & Marilyn TreshowMike BroughMike DerbyMike WolfMorgan StanleyMr & Mrs. D. Blake and FamilyMr. & Mrs. Art SuttonMr. & Mrs. Brian McPhieMy Friends at DKONick TeskeNicole ClineNoelle & GregNorman, Stephen & Randy LeeseOquirrh Lake 6th WardPam & Roy SandvigPat ShanahanPatricia Payne

Patricia PeacockPatricia PignanelliPaul & Ruth PalmerPeggy LarsenPeter LutzPeter TimmonsPreston Tait Benefit ShowRay PickupReuben KronstadtRex EarlRichard & Nancy YonkRobert GarffRobert & Sandy GriffinRobyn & Scott Matheson & FamilyRodger BosenRon RuffSarah ShannonScrabble GroupSelena LewisShawn Sadowski FamilySheryl HaltonShirley RuizShirley SteinSibilingsSLC School District Dept of Neurosurgery Sofia SmithStarbucks Coffee FriendsStephen RothSterling Financial Group LLCSteve & Jay MimnaghSteve & Jill KogianesSusan Beaven/Joseph Aoki Sr.Sarma Suneel

Tag SteeleTerry Don BostickThe Amazing Santa Dash RunnersThe Goldman Sachs Group, INCThe NielsensThomas A. OverturfThomas MaherTodd McKinseyTom Bernard & CarolynTom DeardenTristan LewisUniversity of Utah Department of Obstetrics & GynecologyVCBO Architecture ClientsVeteransVic GalanisVicki PopeWarden FamilyWilliam Christensen

IN MEMORY OF

Jake, K9David DickertAnita C. LeyAnn KelseyBud BaileyCarol CanadayCharles SimmonsDalene BavelosDan MorriesDarla HendricksenDavid DickertEdward M. O’HaraEdwin A. ReadFrank CordovaFrederick FullerGary BergGeorge E.l CaineIda WatanabeJames Christian FitzsimmonsJamie DurkinKaren WickstromKirk TomlinLeon JeannotMaxine OlsenMichael BahrMichelle TemplinNancy SorensenNorma WinwardRobert H. NeelemanRober StoneWillis R. HarperZachery Thomas

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THE ROAD HOME NEWSLETTER SPRING 2014

Upcoming Events

Comcast Cares DaySaturday, April 26 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 pm. 210 S. Rio Grande St. & other Road Home locations

We would like to invite any and all groups and individuals to come to Comcast Cares Day. This great volunteer project includes a variety of volunteer activities at our Salt Lake Community Shelter, Palmer Court, and several of our housing units. Some of these activities include: deep cleaning our facilities, landscaping, sorting donations, and assembling hygiene kits. These volunteer activities help us keep our buildings in great shape for the men, women, and families staying with us in addition to helping our staff meet the needs of those who turn to us for help. Volunteers of all ages are welcome to participate. Each volunteer will receive breakfast, lunch, and a free t-shirt.

To sign up please contact:Kelli Parker 801-819-7293 or kparker@theroadhome.org

Submerged in ArtFriday March 7 - 86:00pm - 11:00pmSLC Photo Collective 561 West 200 South, Salt Lake City

Submerged in Art event received the “Best in Utah” award in 2012. This impressive art show brings together a variety of artists to display their work and raise money and awareness for The Road Home.

Thursday, March 2012:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.http://loveutgiveut.razoo.com/giving_events/utah14/home

This online community event is a great way to donate to local charities. This year we are partnering with the Downtown Alliance, Volunteers of America - Utah, Fourth Street Clinic, Crossroads Urban Center, Community Action Program and St. Vincent de Paul to battle homelessness. Please consider donating to any of these organizations.

Love UT Give UT

For more event information visit www.theroadhome.org/events

One by One BreakfastThursday, May 8 8:00 - 9:00 a.m.Little America Hotel 500 S. Main Street, Salt Lake CityFree, reservation required.

Our annual One by One Breakfast is an incredible opportunity to learn more about the programs and services The Road Home provides for people in our community. This inspirational event is free to the public, although donations are kindly requested at the event.

Become a Table Captain As a table captain you will invite 9 of your friends, family members, or colleagues to join you at our breakfast. Share your passion for the work we do with others!

To become a Table Captain, please contact: Kelli Parker 801-819-7293 or kparker@theroadhome.org

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IMPORTANT DINNER GROUP UPDATE

We would like to make our supporters aware that there have been changes made to the health requirements for dinner groups. For more details about the new requirements to serve a meal at the shelter please visit:

http://www.theroadhome.org/volunteer/group-opportunities/

If you have questions about serving a meal at the shelter, please contact one of our volunteer coordinators, who are happy to assist you with your group’s needs. Thank you so much! We appreciate all your support!

Kelli Parker kparker@theroadhome.orgAlicia Gates agates@theroadhome.org

CANDY CANE CORNER WRAP-UP

Each year, we are astounded at the community support of Candy Cane Corner. Candy Cane Corner is a holiday store for families of The Road Home, YWCA, and Volunteers of America, Utah. This holiday store is an annual collaboration and is a great opportunity for volunteers, donors, and especially the families it benefits.

This year, we received enough donated items to provide Christmas gift items to 1,998 individuals. Of those individuals served, there were 1,212 children and 786 adults.

We would not be able to have the same success with this program without you. We are truly grateful for your generosity for the people whom these donations serve. We thank you for your kindness and support.

NONPROFIT ORG.

U.S. POSTAGE

PAIDS.L.C., UT

PERMIT NO. 4770

Blankets (all sizes) Socks (adult & children)

Shoes & Work Boots

Towels Diapers & Wipes

Sunscreen & Insect Repellent

THE ROAD HOME’S MOST URGENT NEEDSOur Salt Lake Community Shelter and Palmer Court are currently in need of:

All items can be delivered to The Road Home210 South Rio Grande Street (455 W.) 7:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. seven days a week, including holidays.

To view a full donation needs list, visit our website: www.theroadhome.org/needslist