Jennifer Christensen

Serving Utah’s Children in Foster Care by Finding, Educating, and Supporting Families to Care for Children of All Ages

After five years of marriage, Maureen Killila and her husband made the decision to become foster parents. Ultimately adopting two children who have enriched their lives immeasurably, they have become strong advocates for the Utah Foster Care Foundation.

www.utahfostercare.org

Helping Those Who Need It Most and Celebrating Cultural Diversity

Providing critical social services to Middle Eastern refugees who have fled their war-torn countries, Salt Lake American Muslim helps immigrants find new opportunities in the Salt Lake Valley. Program facilitators like Shaymaa Al Dujaili help pave the way, serving as leaders within their respective ethnic communities.

www.SaltLakeAmericanMuslim.com

Granting Wishes to Cache Valley Adults Who Are Facing Terminal Illness

Modeled after the Make-A-Wish foundation, One Wish, Inc. was established in 2011 to grant wishes to Cache Valley adults facing terminal illness. Cofounders Shellie Pardoe and Robyn Nelson oversee the organization’s  board.

www.onewishcachevalley.org

Volunteers Building Hope by Building Homes

Habitat for Humanity of Utah County provides “a hand up” for families in need of affordable housing. Allison Fullmer’s family will move into their new home later this month, greatly benefiting her youngest son, who has chronic medical needs.

www.habitatuc.org

Leading the Nation in Addressing Child Abuse...”Where Small Voices Can Be Heard”

The Friends of the Salt Lake County Children’s Justice Center plays a critical role in raising funds to help shepherd child victims of crime through the legal system. Susanne Mitchell is the CJC’s program director.

www.cjcslc.org

Supporting Cache Cadets in their Civil Air Patrol Service

The Friends of Cache Cadets supports the Cache Valley Squadron of the Civil Air Patrol in funding leadership programming and training opportunities for youth. Shara Swan is the organization’s chair.

www.cachevalleysquadron.org

Developing Service-Learning and Leadership Opportunities to Help Faculty and Students Change the World

The Thayne Center for Service & Learning at Salt Lake Community College creates hands-on learning opportunities for faculty and students, with participants contributing over 135,000 community service hours each year. Sean Crossland serves as the center’s Community Partnerships Coordinator.

www.slcc.edu/thaynecenter

Empowering Youth through Multimedia

Spy Hop Productions empowers youth through multimedia, helping teenagers in metro Salt Lake City express themselves, find their voices and tell their stories. Instructor Adam Sherlock appreciates how Spy Hop’s “Sending Messages” program benefits incarcerated youth like “K.O.”

www.spyhop.org

Love of Piano in Our World

Fourteen year-old Olivia Tedder is the beneficiary of a piano donated to her family by the Mundi Project. Program founder Hana Janatova is a first generation American whose parents immigrated from the Czech Republic, bringing with them and sharing the gift of music.

www.mundiproject.org

Utah’s Voice on Mental Illness

After learning of her son’s diagnosis with a mental illness, Tonya Edvalson found NAMI Utah on a Google search. Having benefited from the organization’s services, Tonya now offers support to others as a NAMI Basics instructor.

www.NAMIUT.org