See Beautiful Grant Applicant: St. Anne's Center/Lantern House

The feature below is brought to you by St Anne’s Center/Lantern House, an organization that is in the running to receive a See Beautiful Grant. For more information about our giving initiatives, please click here.
 
To learn more about the featured organization, please visit their website here.

Those of us who are securely housed do not often take the time to reflect how one misfortune might cause any one of us to fall into homelessness. Consider what you would do if you suddenly lost your job. What if you or your partner were diagnosed with a life-threatening illness and could no longer work? What if your landlord raised your rent beyond what you could afford? What if a natural disaster destroyed your home? 

How long could you survive without a paycheck? 

How long would your food storage last?

Where would you turn to for help?

These questions are becoming more prevalent for many individuals and families living in Northern Utah as the cost of groceries, gas, and housing rise. Despite a global pandemic, the cost of purchasing a home in Utah rose 30% in 2020 (Woodruff, 1), and rent prices are continuing to increase at an alarming pace – pushing the most vulnerable low-income individuals into poverty and homelessness. High demand and low housing supply have created a genuine crisis for buyers and renters alike, and as we see more and more individuals experiencing homelessness for the first time, we are tasked with finding new and creative solutions to help the homeless population get back on their feet.

The reasons an individual becomes homeless homeless are as diverse as the individuals themselves, but the current economic climate throughout our state is creating a single looming problem: Current wages simply are not high enough to afford basic housing and food. For some, an unforeseen medical event can cause homelessness. For others, immobility within their careers is causing stagnant and unlivable wages. By understanding the root cause of what has pushed our clients into homelessness we can better target their needs and quickly move them out of homelessness and into a permanent residence. 

We know this is a complex problem. A problem we certainly cannot solve on our own, which is why we are partnering with so many local organizations like the Department of Workforce Services, Weber-Morgan Health Department, Housing Authorities, School Districts, Law Enforcement, and Medical Providers to create custom care plans that offer individualized wrap around services to support the unique needs of every one of our clients. Additionally, our shelter offers critical assistance to clients working to obtain jobs, housing, and independence by maintaining a free shop of gently used and new work clothes, transporting all homeless children to and from school and providing them with new clothing and school supplies, helping clients get to job interviews with free bus tokens and uber rides, and partnering with the local court system to hold on-site hearings and community service opportunities to expunge charges. 

Clients residing at our shelter become family, with each other, and our staff, but it is always our greatest joy to see them obtain and maintain independence. Despite the current challenges, we remain committed to our mission of caring for those who fall into homelessness with the shelter, food, and dignity they deserve. By working closely with our community partners, state representatives, lawmakers, and fellow human service organizations, we hope to create clear and direct pathways for our clients to become housed and stable, regardless of the economic changes our state is facing. 

Woodruff, Daniel. “Utah Housing Prices Hit Record Highs Again, but There Are Some Silver Linings for Buyers.” KUTV, 7 June 2021, kutv.com/news/local/utah-housing-prices-hit-record-highs-again-but-there-are-some-silver-linings-for-buyers.

Submitted by: Hannah Bowcutt