42 Mini Grants
and
$19,950 granted
2,776 Total Volunteers
Over 9,942 volunteer hours
Value of over $276,600
ROI: 1286.47%
October, 2021
The September 11 National Day of Service and Remembrance (9/11 Day), is a chance to help others in tribute to those killed and injured on September 11, 2001, first responders, and the countless others who serve to defend the nation’s freedom at home and around the globe. UServeUtah supported community projects across the state in September of 2021 with mini grants of up to $500. Organizations engaged at least 10 volunteers in projects addressing local needs.
“Service is a fitting way to start to heal, unite, and rebuild this country we love.”
President Joe Biden
Animal Care of Davis County (ACDC)
11 Volunteers served over 40 hours
Animal Care of Davis County was able to host their first Clear the Shelter Event on September 10th, 2021. With the assistance of volunteers, they were able to place over 17 dogs, 10 cats, and 3 turtles in the community. This event benefited families finding their new fur-ever friend and to let the community know ACDC is there for them in Fruit Heights. These animals were able to find good families and were able to get out of the stressful shelter environment. Animal Care of Davis County is committed to providing great service to residents and compassionate care to animals, working tirelessly to support public safety, find homes for homeless animals and educate the community about responsible pet ownership.
Boys and Girls Club of GSL Tooele
30 volunteers served 40 hours
The Boys and Girls Club of GSL Tooele collected school supply donations and created backpacks to donate to the homeless youth in the community. This project was meant to offer some support and a feeling of hope to youth. Club members helped organize the supplies and stuff the backpacks, and deliver them to the youth themselves. A culmination celebration was held on October 1st.
Cache Community Connections
10 volunteers served 72 hours
Cache Community Connections (CCC) has been working to bring Cache Valley together as a community devoted to greater cultural awareness ever since September 11, 2001. This group brings together members of all faiths in Cache Valley, as well as Civic Leaders. The opportunity to come together for a 9/11 memorial concert, especially since COVID has kept community members apart for almost two years, was deeply moving.
CCC hosted a music performance to commemorate 9/11. The Quartet for the End of Time is a remarkable piece written in a concentration camp during World War II. Playing it as a memorial to 9/11 as well as a celebration of 20 years of community connections was a truly wonderful moment for all who attended this event.
Central Utah Public Health Department
27 volunteers served 153 hours
The Central Utah Public Health Department was able to honor and thank first responders including nurses, EMS, doctors, fire fighters, police officers, and service members at their flu shot shot clinics. They were also able to practice and exercise mass vaccination response. Local EMS, hospitals, college, MRC volunteers, sheriff’s office, and public health professionals were able to make 9/11 a day on to serve community members by giving them flu and COVID vaccines to help keep them healthy and to slow the spread. Due to these events over 1,000 community members received vaccinations.
City of Milford
32 volunteers served 96 hours
Milford’s “Day of Remembrance” of September 11th brought local citizens of every age closer together as they remembered the tragedy of 9/11 through community service, deep reflection and patriotism. Volunteers cleaned grave sites and gave extra love and tender care to the Milford Cemetery.
Community Action Services and Food Bank
11 volunteers served 12 hours
Volunteers served together to build and place benches in all four of the food bank’s community gardens. These benches are now a place for volunteers as well as community members to sit, relax, and reflect.
Community Arts of Utah
38 volunteers served 45 hours
Five activities were held, in which participants discussed the work that local police and fire departments do on behalf of the community, and made artworks of gratitude to donate to the departments.
Youth from Kearns Junior High, John F Kennedy Jr High, Matheson Jr High and Cyprus High participated, as well as some afterschool staff at those locations. Also, an event was held at West Valley Library, at which 10 people were in attendance volunteering their time to make artworks.
Creek Valley Health Clinic
22 volunteers served 44+ hours
Four community projects were completed including: Highway cleanup, park cleanup, school weeding, and warehouse cleanup and organization for a local nonprofit. Approximately 50 bags of trash & weeds were picked up, making a big difference in the community and its shared spaces!
Days for Girls – Davis County
45 volunteers served 90 hours
Volunteers assembled hygiene kits for women around the world. Women and girl refugees coming from Afghanistan to location points in WI, VA and TX will receive washable and reusable feminine hygiene kits to help them manage their monthly cycle until they can secure disposable products. In addition, women and girls in Haiti will receive these kits to use as they rebuild from the earthquake and tropical storms.
Emerald Hills Institute
20 volunteers served 60 hours
Volunteers served the community by preparing school supply kits for underserved populations in the Granite school district.
Fillmore City Library
28 volunteers served 71 hours
The recent flooding in Millard county has proven to be devastating for so many families. People lost full basements of personal items, not to mention destroyed flooring, sheetrock, windows, doors, and more. This project aimed to raise money to rebuild what was lost. In total, this project raised $3,770. This money was used to buy gift cards at a local hardware store for sheetrock and flooring. A couple Amazon gift cards were also purchased so people could replace bedding and other personal items lost. The damage done was so substantial that the fundraiser could not help everyone impacted by the flood. However, the few families that were helped through this project are feeling a big financial burden taken off of their shoulders.
In addition to raising money for the people impacted by the flood, gift baskets were also given to first responders. Community members wrote thank you letters to police officers, firefighters, and EMTs. The library added the letters into treat baskets for each department. This part of the project proved to be a good way to connect the community members with those who are called to help when needed most. It was a great way to spread positivity while honoring Millard county first responders.
FRIENDS of Great Salt Lake
107 volunteers served 321 hours
Volunteers removed over 1,700 pounds of trash and debris from the southern shores of Great Salt Lake. This area is sensitive and hemispherically-critical habitat for migratory birds and other wildlife. Removing trash helps restore this habitat and improve water quality for the Great Salt Lake ecosystem. In addition, volunteers gathered to connect around stewardship of this important natural resource that is currently experiencing the lowest water levels in recorded history. Great Salt Lake needs advocates to promote water conservation and restoration of this system to prevent disastrous ecological and human health consequences. Volunteers were all very interested in learning more about the state of the Lake and how they can contribute to its protection. It was a great day and a successful event!
Habitat for Humanity of Southwest Utah
13 volunteers served 52 hours
Volunteers painted, did yard-work and helped with tasks to improve an affordable house that was built in the community.
Heber City Police Department
11 volunteers served 44 hours
The 9/11 Day Mini Grant was used to provide training for Peer Court Members to continue with Heber Valley Peer Court which is an alternative for first time offenders to the juvenile justice system.
Imagine Ballet Theatre Inc
450 volunteers served 1350 hours
Volunteers cleaned up the gardens, shrubs, and weeds at Utah State Botanical Center as well as cut back trees from the trails. Community members experienced a somber and reverenced time of reflection, with a thoughtful performance in memory of the heroes and lost on September 11, 2001.
Iron County Care and Share
112 volunteers served 224 hours
Volunteers gave time to beautify the camps of Iron County Care and Share. Volunteers removed weeds, trash, and debris making it safe and healthy for pantry and shelter clients.
Kostopulos Dream Foundation
25 volunteers served 175 hours
Camp K serves individuals with disabilities in our community. This project improved the facilities and campus of Camp K, to ensure the services and facilities provided to participants and their families are of the highest quality.
Lifting Hands International
65 volunteers served 210 hours
This project on the 9/11 Day of Service provided an opportunity for volunteers to engage in meaningful work, deepening connections between supporters and those in need, while simultaneously strengthening local communities. Lifting Hands of Welcome, the program benefiting refugees in Utah, leverages formal partnerships with the International Rescue Committee, Catholic Community Services, and the Granite Education Foundation to identify needs and deliver assistance. The aid prepared and distributed on the 9/11 Day of Service included household items, furniture, clothing, hygiene products, and school supplies, as well as countless other items by request from case management teams. So far this year, Lifting Hands International has distributed over $764,000-worth of essential aid to local refugees, a huge benefit to these families and the broader community.
Little Lambs Foundation for Kids
13 volunteers served 39 hours
Volunteers bundled diapers for the Healthy Babies Diaper Assistance Program for families struggling with Diaper Need in our community. With over 400 babies signed up to receive monthly assistance with diapers and hygiene supplies and more families signing up weekly the demand is high for assistance. This is just one service provided at Little Lambs for families needing a bit of extra help to make it in between paychecks. Many of the families served no longer need to choose between purchasing food or diapers. Diapers are a huge need in our community. This project helped to fill that gap for many families.
Major Brent Taylor Foundation
400 volunteers served over 2,000 hours
“We brought people together of all ages, backgrounds and occupations to commemorate the 20th anniversary of 9/11 and to honor the ongoing heroic work of our local military, medical, fire and police professionals. People who came were able to serve, be inspired, interact with one another, and leave with the beautiful sentiments that are found when a community comes together for a common cause. We also facilitated educational field trip opportunities for over 3,000 students from Elementary to High School level. Governor Cox, Congressman Blake Moore, other elected officials, business owners and dignitaries were all able to interact with everyday citizens, youth, and members of the military, medical, fire and police professions. It was an incredibly uplifting experience for all who came to the 9/11 museum exhibit and community service center. In the midst of all of the political and military turmoil in today’s current events, this project was a great opportunity for people to rise above politics, express gratitude to those who keep us safe, and come together to show that we, as a community, truly will keep our promise to never forget what happened on September 11, 2001.”
-Jennie Taylor
Moab Valley Multicultural Center
41 volunteers served 367 hours
The project, titled “(Comm)UNITY” began at 9:11 am on September 11th with a community service project followed by a ceremony remembering the tragic events of September 11, 2001 and also honoring the community’s first responders. A chili cook-off and free swimming at the aquatic center were also offered afterwards to the public.
Nephi Lions Club
36 volunteers served 302 hours
Volunteers fed the local veterans, first responders, and their partners breakfast. A ceremony was also done by the American Legion, Congressman Burgess Owens, and the local city and county leadership. Veterans of each branch were recognized, and each first responder agency as well. Afterwards, over 60 flags were retired with the help of community members. Community members were able to be apart of the retiring ceremony. There were many tears and emotions during the ceremony and program. It helped focus on the good around us. Afterwards a street clean-up project was held to clean up the sidewalks and gutters around the park.
Ogden City Corp
20 volunteers served 3 hours
Volunteers painted fire hydrants. A fresh coat of paint not only helps make the hydrants more visible to the fire department in an emergency, but it also makes the neighborhood look fresh and clean.
Ogden Nature Center
125 volunteers served 375 hours
Volunteers worked hard at the Ogden Nature Center, making it a safer, better cared for, and more attractive place to visit. They worked on the old farmhouse and removed fallen trees and debris from several hundred feet along and in Millcreek, which runs through the Ogden Nature Center.
Large piles of downed trees, branches and limbs were hauled away, eliminating a potential fire hazard, and the fallen trees and other debris in Millcreek ensured that in a storm event there wouldn’t be flooding at the Ogden Nature Center and in upstream areas where Millcreek runs through the city. Multiple truckloads were taken to the city’s green waste facility, while heavy equipment brought by volunteers was used to move and load fallen trees and limbs into trucks, trailers, and dumpsters.
Volunteers scraped, wire brushed and sanded the old historic farmhouse at the Ogden Nature Center, preparing it for painting. Other volunteers pruned, raked, and otherwise cleaned up the area around the farmhouse. Many remembered the old farmhouse as being the former Visitor and Learning Center at the Ogden Nature Center, and before that, the dwelling of the Vice-Commander of Defense Depot Ogden, and before that the historic home of the Hodson family. Highly visible along 12th Street, the farmhouse badly needed to be painted, and the prep work was daunting. While the volunteers didn’t have enough time to paint the house, they did accomplish the laborious work of sanding, scraping and wire brushing the siding and wood trim. Taking care of the old farmhouse and yard provided a source of pride and sense of ownership by the community of the Ogden Nature Center and saved the Ogden Nature Center thousands of dollars in the process.
In three hours, volunteers accomplished more than the small staff could have gotten done in a year!
Pioneer Elementary School
12 volunteers served 36 hours
This project benefitted the community by bringing kids together in a Title I school. The project provided an opportunity for community members and school community members to work together in celebrating teacher and student heroes. Participants learned that they can be heroes and to look within themselves for the good they can put into the world. A school wide “Scout” party was held to celebrate the school heroes (we are all heroes!) It was a good benefit to the community and brought everyone together.
Project Embrace
30 volunteers served 150 hours
The devices processed at this volunteer day will now be available to any community member in need of durable medical equipment. Many members of our community do not have the access to all the healthcare services they need, including devices like wheelchairs, walkers, commodes, crutches, and canes. People in need can call Project Embrace, tell them what they need and they will do their best to deliver the needed devices. Beyond those in the immediate community, the majority of the devices cleaned on volunteer day will be donated in a campaign later this semester. The campaign location at this time needs to be determined but it is likely they will be donating these devices to the Navajo Nation.
Provo Bicycle Collective
30 volunteers served 107 hours
Volunteers helped fix up close to 60 kids bikes that are being given back to community members unable to afford a bike for their child. Apart from benefiting the children that receive a bike, volunteers are being taught how to work on bikes and thus leave feeling more empowered.
Recycle Utah
43 volunteers served 61 hours
Members of the community, businesses and elected officials cleaned up trash in the community. In each area of cleanup, there were cars honking, waving and stopping by to say thank you. Over 30 bags of trash were collected and volunteers were able to promote the community Dumpster Days happening on the same day with this project.
Sanpete County Fair Fun on the Farm
24 volunteers served 124.5 hours
This is a free event that is offered at the Sanpete County Fair every year and had 2,000 visitors this year. It teaches how the food gets from the farm to the table using hands on activities. This mini-grant allowed volunteers to level ground to plan more lawn space for next year. Volunteers put a fence and gates across the front to keep it more secure so that the exhibit will last longer and not have people damage it when it is not being used. Volunteers also put some siding on buildings to help them to last for years to come instead of painting them every couple years. Volunteers also helped to winterize and clean out the buildings so they will be ready for next year. They also were instrumental in helping prepare the garden area for cement to make it more maintenance free.
Spring Creek 14th Ward, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
21 volunteers served 21 hours
The Spring Creek 14th Ward came together to make 225 kits for various facets of the United Way “Help Me Grow” program.
Spy Hop Productions
26 volunteers served 806 hours
Over 120 community members including our unsheltered neighbors enjoyed free tacos, COVID-19 vaccines, grocery pick-up, donated tech drop-off and pick up, DJ’s. Volunteers hosted workshops, collected, cooked and distributed food, canvassed the neighborhoods and created programming for youth.
Town of Springdale
14 volunteers served 21 hours
On Saturday, September 18, 2021, the Town of Springdale and UServeUtah held a day of service to commemorate those who sacrificed on 9/11. Leading up to the date, the Town used several different vehicles to advertise the event, including social media ads, flyers around town, the Springdale Town Newsletter, community emails, and an announcement in September’s Town Council Meeting.
The project included picking up trash and debris along Zion Park Blvd/SR-9, the main avenue running through the Town of Springdale to the entrance of Zion National Park. With over 4 million guests to Springdale each year, this little town feels the impact of the visitors which can be seen in the form of litter and debris on the side of the road. Community members wanted to do something that would help beautify the town and keep it a place where visitors can marvel at the beauty of the area.
This project hosted 14 participants and a total of 21 volunteer hours. The grant money was used to purchase safety vests and trash grabbers for the effort, the second of which proved to be very helpful. All other funding (staff time, other misc. supplies) came from the Town of Springdale.
“We are grateful for the financial assistance provided from UServeUtah and look forward to similar events and opportunities to serve in the future.” –Ryan Gubler
TreeUtah
12 volunteers served 20 hours
The overall project was to rebuild a small park space adjacent to Fitts Park in South Salt Lake to make it a more usable green space for the community, as well as create an open space specifically catered to monarch butterflies. This park will provide more open, natural space for members of the community to safely enjoy the outdoors and all of the benefits that come with spending time in green spaces. Further, this park will act as a sanctuary for the endangered monarch butterfly. As part of this, the 9/11 memorial tree we planting (a bur oak) with the funding from this grant will serve as a reminder of service and unity for the community for years to come.
United Way of Cache Valley
215 volunteers served 645 hours
Volunteers helped complete over 23 nonprofit and 2 community organizations projects over 2 days, September 9 and September 10, 2021, in which volunteers went around and did painting, ground work or yard work, staining the pavilions, organization in closets, and putting together donor kits.
United Way of Eastern Utah
319 volunteers served 1,000 hours
Volunteers cleaned up trash, pulled weeds, helped elderly neighbors, and beautified the community.
“We are more motivated to keep spaces clean when we believe our community cares about doing so; we hope that our volunteer efforts inspire everyone around us to keep weeds from growing and to keep trash off the ground.” –Megan Cummings, United Way of Eastern Utah
One project specifically benefitted an elderly woman who was being held responsible for the alley overgrowth behind her house. Volunteers helped her avoid a fine from the city. Volunteers also created over 200 gift baskets for first responders in the community to help them feel appreciated and potentially help relieve burnout in some small way. Finally, several college sports teams volunteered together, benefitting their own team-building efforts and instilling a lifelong dedication to service.
Utah PTA
100 volunteers served 70 hours
We have had at least 10 different student groups participate so far, and some are planning to meet more in the future to write some more thank you letters to our first responders and military. Some teachers wanted to write the letters in class as part of a larger lesson. Eastmont Middle School held probably our most successful event. They had letter writing as part of their lunch recess and at a Block Party to commemorate 9/11 in one of the neighborhoods near the school. To quote one of their volunteers, “It was really fun to see the students get so excited to show gratitude. We had about 130 letters written by our students! I’m also really glad to know more about Operation Gratitude and will definitely continue to work with them in the future.”
Personally, I was able to deliver thank you posters and cards to South Jordan Fire Dept #2, and St Mark’s ICU on 9/11. They were both surprised and grateful to be thought of and thanked by us.
Vernal Area Chamber of Commerce
10 volunteers served 25 hours
Volunteers beautified the community by repairing the Dinosaur Benches. The benches are now fresh and provide a great place for community members and visitors to sit while they wait for the bus.
Wasatch Community Foundation
130 volunteers served 240 hours
Approximately 100 bags of trash collected from the trails, parking lots and marinas around Deer Creek. Also at another project, the group weeded, cleaned windows, did garbage cleanup, and tree trimming for an 83-year-old man who just had cancer surgery. Also brought cupcakes for his birthday 2 days earlier.
Wasatch Community Gardens
31 volunteers served 84 hours
We were lucky enough to have a huge volunteer turn out to help with preparing and planting the Pick-It fence-line, parkstrip, and herb gardens outside of our new Wasatch Community Garden campus this past week. Volunteers helped plant edible plants as well as our new welcome garden bed full of flowers to be enjoyed by the community. These demonstration garden spaces that will be open to the public to learn how to grow healthy, organic, local food. Our expanded Pick-it fence-line will all be filled with fruits and vegetable plants next year that will be available for anyone in need of food to come and harvest from. We hope that this introduction to fresh produce will encourage them to sign up for a garden plot of their own at one of our many community gardens across the valley or come and learn with us how to grow a garden at home.
Whispering Canyons Foundation
10 volunteers served 67 hours
Whispering Canyons provides teen girls who struggle with life trials such as depression, anxiety, and other challenges the opportunity to learn horsemanship in a fun, safe, supervised environment. They offer daily afterschool/summer training and support for participants by providing each girl a horse, equipment, individual mentoring, and training.
Volunteers helped do maintenance on a very well loved trailer that will be used for years to come! We were able to get the trailer sandblasted, grinded down, primer on, paint on, and we have a few more hours left to finish, but the trailer is now preserved for many years to come. These girls are traveling to Salina Utah this week for State 4-H show. We had 5 make it. The rust will no longer be eating away the metal and they will be able to serve many more young ladies at Whispering Canyons Foundation.
Wild Utah Project / Sageland Collaborative
40 volunteers served 240 hours
Volunteers built beaver dam analogues in Toll Canyon on September 17 to help restore degraded stream beds. The project will help return the stream to its natural plane, increase wetland area, sequester carbon, provide additional habitat for fish, pollinators, and other species, and it will help provide additional fire breaks in the canyons. The project is fully permitted by all necessary entities and is part of a larger initiative to improve the health of Utah’s streams. Volunteers are all local and part of the special September day of volunteering.
Our project benefitted the community by helping restore the health of local streams. This helps retain water, add to ground water, build wetlands, and increase natural wildfire breaks.
Zakat Foundation of America
17 volunteers served 40 hours
In honor of National Preparedness Month we packed 100 Emergency kits containing first aid kits, survival blankets, hand sanitizer soap, hand warmers, water and 2 energy bars and by doing so we created awareness of being prepared in case of a natural emergency.
Volunteers in Utah compiled the kits and distributed them locally.