Category Archives: Community

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.

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.

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

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.