Shelter the Homeless is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to serving individuals experiencing homelessness and working with partners to develop safe facilities and expand solutions to prevent and end homelessness in Utah.
Shelter the Homeless is committed to making homelessness rare, brief and non-recurring by connecting individuals who are experiencing homelessness with community services that help them achieve housing stability and reach sustainable self-sufficiency
In 2015, following significant renovations and collaborative community investment, a newly redesigned two-story Midvale Family Resource Center opened to better meet the needs of vulnerable families. Today, the center provides emergency shelter, case management, and supportive services for up to 300 adults and children each night.
Shelter the Homeless created a coalition of funding and support from then Utah State Homeless Services Coordinator Wayne Neiderhauser, Salt Lake County, Salt Lake City, South Salt Lake, and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to purchase a motel and transform it into Utah’s first non-congregate shelter for families.
Shelter the Homeless launched the Sustainability Fund to ensure the long-term strength, safety, and functionality of Salt Lake County’s Homeless Resource Centers.
The initiative was launched with a transformational $10 million gift from Gail Miller and the Larry H. & Gail Miller Family Foundation, providing critical momentum for long-term stewardship of the shelter system.
Over the past decade, Utah has transformed its approach to homelessness by moving from a single, large downtown shelter to a network of six Homeless Resource Centers across Salt Lake County. This change has allowed us to provide not only safe shelter, but also critical case management services such as housing navigation, job training, behavioral health care, and medical support, resources designed to help individuals and families move from crisis to stability.
Even with this progress, demand for emergency shelter and services remains at unprecedented levels. Shelter the Homeless plays a unique role in this system: we own the facilities, convene partners, and raise private funds to strengthen the service-rich model. While government sources cover most of the operating costs, our organization must raise more than $2 million annually to provide essentials such as private security, over 450,000 meals each year, a transportation program, and the upkeep of our buildings.
As President and Chair of the Board of Directors, I see firsthand the dedication of our nonprofit partners, community leaders, and supporters who work tirelessly to ensure homelessness in Utah becomes rare, brief, and nonrecurring. This is a collective effort that requires collaboration across public and private sectors, faith communities, and neighborhoods.
I invite you to join us in this work. Whether through advocacy, partnership, or financial support. Together, we can provide not only shelter but hope and opportunity for our neighbors experiencing homelessness.
Josh Romney
Board Chair and President, Shelter the Homeless
