Community - The Advocates

Celebrating 20 Years of The Apple Tree Campaign

Backpack filled with school supplies, books, scissors, and a small shopping cart nearby

The Advocates are delighted to join The Road Home in celebrating the 20th year of The Apple Tree Campaign: a program providing homeless children with back-to-school supplies and, most importantly, the confidence they need to know their self-worth is not determined by where they live.
Housing insecurity is a tragic reality which often makes children feel ostracized from their peers. We want all children in our communities to be able to attend school with confidence. Small acts of kindness, like giving a backpack, will give them a chance to do just that.

What is The Road Home?

The Road Home helps people out of homelessness and back into the welcoming embrace of our community. Equal treatment, compassion, respect, and dignity are the values that guide their work.
They have three shelters in Salt Lake Valley: the South Salt Lake Men’s Resource Center, the Gail Miller Resource Center, and the Midvale Family Resource Center. Each one provides meals, showers, laundry, donated clothing, and a warm place for people to seek solace and sleep. Through its many connections, The Road Home links people with services like job training, mental health treatment, and childcare services.

What is The Apple Tree Campaign?

The Apple Tree Campaign is an annual event helping homeless children get the supplies and clothes they need for a new school year. We want kids staying at The Road Home to enter the first day with a new backpack, fresh clothes, and an air of confidence. In 2023, close to 200 students received hygiene items, clothing, and school supplies.
Throughout all of July, each of The Advocates’ three Utah offices will have a cardboard apple tree with 100 apples. On each fruit is the name, age, size, and material need of one child staying at The Road Home.
The goal is to get each child the following clothing items:

One durable, high-quality backpack
Two pairs of pants (jeans or joggers; no shorts, please)
Two shirts
One hoodie
Multi-pack of socks
Multi-pack of underwear
One pair of sturdy shoes

Children in 6th grade and up also get a hygiene kit. Each kit is put in a gallon-sized resealable plastic bag with the following:

Cloth masks
Toothbrush
Toothpaste (travel or small size)
Dental floss
Deodorant
Comb, brush, or foldable brush with mirror on the back
Unbreakable mirror
Lip balm
Individual packs of Kleenex
Small lotions
Breath mints
Hair scrunchies or elastic bands

Three Ways You Can Help

Stop by our offices in American Fork, Ogden, or Murray during the month of July to pluck an apple from the tree, purchase what the child needs, and return it to our office.
If you cannot make it in to our offices, there are still ways to help. Check out the website of the Apple Tree Campaign and donate directly to The Road Home. All donations go directly to purchasing items for the campaign. You can also purchase clothing and supplies directly from their Amazon Wish List. Everything you buy will ship directly to The Road Home.
Together we can equip a child with the supplies and clothing they deserve this upcoming school year. It is a small gesture, but every act of kindness, however small, has the potential to change someone’s life.
Office locations:
Murray: 737 E Winchester St, Salt Lake City, UT 84107
American Fork: 388 W Main St, American Fork, UT 84003
Ogden: 533 26th St #101, Ogden, UT 84401

Community Advocate August 2024: Showers of Hope

When is a shower more than a shower? When it provides a path out of homelessness. This is the mission of Showers of Hope, a Salt Lake City-based organization committed to giving unhoused people access to running water, hygiene products, clean clothing, and more. The Advocates are proud to partner with Good Things Utah to recognize this organization making a difference in our community.

About Showers of Hope

When COVID-19 hit, Utahn Debi Thelin lost her home and had to live out of her car. Once winter rolled around, cold weather forced her to leave Salt Lake City and head to Los Angeles. There, she found resources like Safe Parking LA, a program that allows people experiencing homelessness to park their cars safely overnight.
When Debi told her friend, Renee Shaw, about her experiences as an unhoused person in LA, the two women were inspired to provide similar resources for the unsheltered population in Utah. Thus, Showers of Hope was born.
Showers of Hope uses a renovated camper to provide warm showers, food, clothing, and even haircuts to people who need them. Without these resources, it can be difficult for people experiencing homelessness to get back on their feet—how can one find a job without clean clothing to wear to the interview?
“When I was filthy, because there were some days that if it was raining and stuff, you couldn’t get showers. I found myself looking down and not eager to face the world and a little not worthy. You just don’t feel as worthy as everybody else. And I feel like showers should be a basic human right,” said Thelin. “I would really like to see the city officials supporting services like this. It feels like they haven’t been supportive, and it’s disheartening.”
Currently, Showers of Hope serves the community at Liberty Park on Wednesdays from 1:00 pm-3:00 pm. They hope to expand with the help of more volunteers and funds.

How Can I Get Involved?

There are several ways to further the mission of Showers of Hope. The first is to donate on their website. They also have links to their Amazon and Walmart wishlists.
The organization is also looking for volunteers to help with set up, tear down, haircuts, and other services. You can contact them on Facebook at @Showers of Hope-Utah.

Community Advocate September 2024: Halloween Costume Drive

The magic of choosing a costume and trick-or-treating is a fond memory for millions of Americans. Unfortunately, financial barriers prevent many kids from dressing up as their favorite superhero or princess. They attend Halloween parties, parades, and festivals in their everyday clothes, unable to afford a costume.
The Advocates are honored to partner with Good Things Utah to help make a difference for children in the Salt Lake area this Halloween. We are collecting new and gently used costumes for kids whose families can’t afford one. The costumes will be donated to The Road Home shelters, allowing children living in those shelters to be as spooky, sweet, or silly as their peers this season.
If you have Halloween costumes sitting around collecting dust, please consider dropping them off at one of The Advocates’ offices (addresses below). You can also make a financial donation on Venmo @AdvocatesDonations and we’ll do the shopping. We will deliver all costumes to The Road Home before Halloween, so please make sure all donations have been made by October 24th.

Costume Drop Off Locations:

Murray: 737 East Winchester Street, Salt Lake City, Utah 84107
Ogden: 533 26th Street, Ogden, Utah 84401
American Fork: 388 W Main St, American Fork, Utah 84003

You can donate via Venmo using the QR code below or by typing @AdvocatesDonations into the Venmo app. Please include a note with your donation indicating that the funds are for the Halloween costume drive.

Hugs for the Holidays Donation Drive

Helping hands at a soup kitchen for Thanksgiving.

Everyone deserves warmth and comfort during the winter.
Which is why this holiday season, The Advocates are partnering with BOB FM to collect warm clothes for those who need them. It’s a chance for those in the Salt Lake Valley to have a tangible impact on their community.
Here are all the essential details.

What is Hugs for the Holidays?

Hugs for the Holidays is a donation drive to collect new or gently used coats, jackets, blankets, and socks—the warmer, the better! These will go to people who don’t have a roof over their heads this winter.
The drop-off date will be Saturday, December 12th, from 11 A.M. to 1 P.M.
Please bring all donations to The Advocates Murray office at 737 E. Winchester St., Murray, UT 84107. We will then deliver them to the shelter.
Everyone who donates at the event will be entered into a drawing to win awesome prizes, such as $500 in jewelry, tickets to see Billy Joel and Stix, and a new bike.
You can also donate the following items:

Machine-washable, adult-sized blankets (avoid bulky comforters)
Winter boots (all sizes)
Scarves
Coats
Belts
Shower shoes (flip flops)
Body wash
Toothpaste and toothbrushes
Water bottles
Backpacks

According to a 2023 report, 11 out of every 10,000 Utahns are homeless. In a state with 3.2 million people, that means roughly 3,500 don’t have a home. These are your neighbors, coworkers, and students in your kid’s classes. Small acts of kindness like donating clothes can go a long way toward helping homeless people have a warm, comfortable holiday season.

The Road Home Apple Tree Campaign

The Advocates are thrilled to partner with The Road Home resource centers to bring back The Apple Tree Campaign. We are honored to do our part to help those in need in Salt Lake City and its surrounding areas.

What is The Road Home?

The Road Home is a nonprofit social services agency that helps individuals and families experiencing homelessness in Salt Lake City and along the Wasatch Front. Their mission is to “help people step out of homelessness and back into our community.”
The Road Home operates three separate shelters in the Salt Lake Valley– the Men’s Resource Center, the Gail Miller Resource Center, and the Midvale Family Resource Center. Their resource centers provide services such as beds, showers, meals, laundry, and donated clothing. They also help provide individuals with connections to services in the community, such as job training, substance use treatment, mental health treatment, childcare services, and more.

What is the Apple Tree Campaign?

The Apple Tree Campaign is an annual donation drive to help children experiencing homelessness receive the items they need to return to school this fall. The goal of the campaign is to help the children staying at The Road Home return to school with confidence. In 2021, the Apple Tree Campaign helped 200 school-aged children obtain the school supplies, clothing, and hygiene items they needed for back-to-school.
The campaign aims to provide each child with the following clothing items:

1 backpack (durable and good quality)
2 pairs of pants (jeans or joggers; no shorts please)
2 shirts
1 hoodie
Multi-pack of socks
Multi-pack of underwear
1 pair of sturdy shoes

Additionally, children in grades 6 and up will be provided with a hygiene kit. The kits, put together in gallon-size resealable plastic bags, include the following:

Cloth masks
Toothbrush
Toothpaste (travel or small size)
Dental floss
Deodorant
Comb, brush or foldable brush with mirror on back
Unbreakable mirror
Lip balm
Individual packs of Kleenex
Small lotions
Breath mints
Hair scrunchies or elastic bands

The Apple Tree Campaign for 2022 began on July 5th and runs through August 5th.

How Can I Help?

At each of The Advocates’ three Utah offices, a cardboard apple tree has been set up with 100 apples. Each apple lists the name, age, size, and a clothing or supply need of one child staying at The Road Home. Anyone can stop by our Ogden, Murray, or American Fork offices to pick an apple off the tree, purchase the supplies listed on the apple, then come back to our office to drop off the items. The donations will be collected by The Road Home and given to the children in time for the beginning of the school year.
If you are unable to pick an apple from the tree, you may make a monetary donation at the Apple Tree Campaign’s website. Volunteers with The Road Home will do the shopping for you based on the children’s back-to-school needs. 100% of donations go to the kids at The Road Home. You may also make purchases from the campaign’s Amazon and Target wishlists.
With your help, we can provide Utah students with the tools they need to start their school year off on the right foot. Come by one of our offices today to help make a difference in the life of a child in our community.

The Advocates Community Advocate July 2023: Yevgeny Pevzner

Each month, The Advocates injury attorneys team up with Good Things Utah to recognize an individual or organization that makes our Utah communities a great place to be. For July, we are thrilled to honor Yevgeny Pevzner, a science teacher with Granite School District.
Yevgeny began teaching 27 years ago, and says he quickly learned the secret to student success: engagement and nourishment. He is committed to ensuring his students have access to food, regardless of their financial situation or busy schedules.
He keeps a stash of Pop-Tarts in his room for any student who may need one, for any reason. Because of this, he’s come to be known as the “Pop-Tart man” at his school.
“My door is always open,” Yevgeny says. “You can eat in my classroom; I’m open-minded.”
This philosophy has made him a favorite at his school; in fact, the person who nominated Yevgeny as our Community Advocate was a student of his 18 years ago.
“95% of teaching is building relationships with the students,” Yevgeny says. The food he provides is just one bridge to building those relationships.
He doesn’t want all the recognition for himself, though. “There are thousands of teachers who do what I do. I can’t take credit for it.”
The Utah Advocates are thankful for teachers like Yevgeny, who come to school with a passion for teaching and allowing their students to thrive. You make our schools and communities great.
If you know a person or group that makes Utah a better place by helping others, you can nominate them here. If they are selected as our monthly Community Advocate, they’ll be recognized on-air and will receive a gift certificate for dinner and a movie.

Community Advocate August 2023: Mason’s Bench

At The Advocates, we know that Utah is a fantastic place to live and work, and we know that it’s all thanks to the hard-working, caring, and compassionate members of our communities. That’s why we team up with Good Things Utah each month to recognize an individual or organization that positively impacts the people around them.
For August 2023, our honoree is the Jacobson family of Perry, Utah. In April of 2022, the Jacobsons lost their 14-year-old son, Mason, to suicide. As September is National Suicide Prevention Month, the Jacobsons want to get their message out to as many people as possible.
According to his parents, Nikki and Jason, Mason was intelligent, outgoing, and hardworking. He was an avid skateboarder who enjoyed skating with his friends in Brigham City. He was also a gifted mechanic—he had recently purchased a 1994 Ford Ranger to build it out into a drift truck.
To honor his memory, his parents had the idea to build a bench out of skateboard decks and place it outside of Mason’s place of work, The Rusted Spoon in Perry. From there, the idea blossomed, and the Mason’s Bench project was born.
The Jacobson family plans to build as many skateboard benches as possible and place them at parks and other hangout spots. The goal is to increase awareness for suicide prevention and keep Mason’s memory alive.
If you would like to contribute to the Mason’s Bench project, you can donate money or skateboards to The Rusted Spoon or by contacting Nikki Jacobson on Facebook.
If you are experiencing thoughts of suicide, help is available. Call or text 988 to reach the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at any time of day or night, 365 days a year. You will be connected to a trained crisis counselor who will be there to listen and help you find the resources you need.
You can also find suicide prevention resources online at utahsuicideprevention.org.

Community Advocate September 2023: Jenn Woo’s Halloween Costume Drive

Each month, The Advocates Injury Attorneys and Good Things Utah team up to recognize an individual or organization that goes above and beyond to help people in their community. This month, our honoree is Jenn Woo.
Jenn was at her child’s school Halloween parade when she noticed another child who was not dressed up. She later learned that the child’s family was unable to afford costumes that year, so they participated in the Halloween parade in their school clothes.
Knowing how much her own children enjoyed dressing up on Halloween, Jenn decided to help. She started a Halloween costume drive benefiting the children at The Road Home.
The Road Home provides emergency shelter, housing assistance, and supportive services to Utahns experiencing homelessness. On any given night, they have over 1,500 community members, including children, in their shelters.
Jenn’s mission is simple: gather as many children’s Halloween costumes as possible and donate them to The Road Home, so that children experiencing homelessness can fully participate in the fun of the holiday with their friends and classmates.
There are two ways to contribute to the costume drive: bring a new or gently used costume to the drop-off bins, or donate financially. All money donated will be used to purchase new Halloween costumes for the drive. Donations are being accepted from now until October 25th.
If you have a costume you would like to donate, you may drop it off at one of The Advocates law offices (addresses listed below). When donating, please put the costume in a transparent bag. On the bag, please write what type of costume it is along with its size.
If you would rather contribute financially, simply send your donation via Venmo to @AdvocatesDonations, or scan the QR code below.
The Advocates are honored to recognize Jenn for her commitment to bettering the lives of those around her. We are thrilled to be part of her efforts.

The Advocates Halloween Costume Drop-Off Locations:

Salt Lake City:737 East Winchester Street, Salt Lake City, Utah 84107
Ogden: 533 26th Street, Ogden, Utah 84401
American Fork: 388 W Main St, American Fork, Utah 84003

QR Code for Financial Donations:

Hugs for the Holidays Donation Drive Benefitting The Road Home Shelter

A volunteer hands a plate of food to another person

At The Advocates, we are always looking for ways to positively impact our communities, and the holiday season offers the perfect opportunity to make a difference in the lives of those around us. We are excited to announce that we have partnered with BOB FM and The Road Home to host the Hugs for the Holidays donation drive.

What Is Hugs for the Holidays?

Since 2020, Utah has seen a 16% increase in people using emergency and temporary shelters. From 2022-2023, the state saw a 10% rise in people experiencing homelessness for the first time. Winter is an especially difficult time to be unhoused.
Hugs for the Holidays aims to give unsheltered people in the Salt Lake area a safer and warmer winter by providing them with clothing and hygiene items. All donations will benefit unhoused people at The Road Home shelters and throughout the community.

How Can I Contribute?

Attend the Hugs for the Holidays donation event

On Saturday, December 16th, The Advocates and BOB FM will be at our Murray office accepting donations from 11:00 am-1:00 pm. Everyone who donates at the event will be entered into a drawing to win exciting prizes, like a $500 Visa gift card, jewelry, and concert tickets.

Utilize The Advocates’ drop-off boxes

If you can’t make it to the event, you can still help make a difference. From now until December 15th, three of The Advocates’ offices (addresses below) will have donation boxes on site. Simply drop by any time during office hours to make your donation. We’ll deliver all donations to the shelters.

What Items Are Being Accepted?

We will accept any new and gently used warm clothes for adults and children (gloves, hats, socks, etc.), but The Road Home has outlined their most urgent needs below:

Men’s Underwear (NEW)
Women’s Underwear (NEW)
Shampoo, Conditioner (Full-Sized)
Towels
Ethnic Hair and Skin Products
Laundry Detergent (Pods or Liquid Preferred)
Size 5 and 6 Diapers
Women’s Sports Bras

Other helpful items include:

Machine-washable, adult-sized blankets (avoid bulky comforters)
Winter boots (all sizes)
Scarves
Coats
Belts
Shower shoes (flip flops)
Body wash
Toothpaste and toothbrushes
Water bottles
Backpacks

Donation Drive Event Details

Date and time: Saturday, December 16th, 11:00 am-1:00 pm
Location: The Advocates’ Murray law office; 737 E. Winchester St. Murray, UT 84107
Details: Come drop off your donations and enter to win a variety of prizes!

Donations can also be made at the following Advocates’ offices from now until December 15th.
Murray office: 737 E. Winchester St. Murray, UT 84107
American Fork office: 388 W Main St, American Fork, UT 84003
Ogden office: 533 26th St, Ogden, UT 84401

Help The Advocates Fight Against Hunger with the Murray Children’s Pantry

The silent heroes of our community are not always in the limelight—sometimes they’re stocking shelves and filling plates. The Murray Children’s Food Pantry has been a bastion of hope for the community since 2020, providing meals to thousands of individuals and families in the Salt Lake Valley. In 2023 alone, they distributed 85,000 meals to people in need.
The pantry’s mission is simple: give to anyone in need, no questions asked. It’s a philosophy that The Advocates wholeheartedly share. To support their mission, we are hosting a month-long food drive benefiting the pantry. We are excited to be a part of this great cause and to do some good for our community.
From April 1st to April 30th, 2024, The Advocates will be accepting non-perishable food items that will go directly to supporting the pantry and the Murray community. Donations can be made at The Advocates’ offices in Murray, American Fork, and Ogden. You can also contribute financially. See Event Details below for more information.

Needed Items:

Canned soup and stew
Canned vegetables
Fruit cups and applesauce cups
Proteins like tuna, canned chicken, and peanut butter
Mac & cheese, pasta, and pasta sauce
Oatmeal packets, individual cereal boxes, and pancake mix
Maple syrup
Shelf-stable milk
Lunchbox snacks like fruit snacks, granola bars, juice boxes, and pudding cups
Graham crackers

Event Details

Dates: April 1-30, 2024
Drop-off addresses:
Murray: 737 E. Winchester St., Salt Lake City, UT 84107
American Fork: 388 W. Main St., American Fork, UT 84003
Ogden: 533 26th St. #101, Ogden, UT 84401
Monetary donations can be made to @AdvocatesDonations on Venmo, or scan the QR code below. When donating, please indicate that the donation is for the food pantry to ensure all contributions go to the correct place.