Caritas Quarterly Winter 2019

/ 'karita:s / (noun) love of humankind, charity INSIDE: PAGE 3 , Safety Opportunity, Advocacy • YWCA Utah PAGE 8 More Than a Coat • Operation Warm SPONSORED BY PAGE 12 Promise to Protect • PCA Utah Volume 3 Issue 4 2 · December 2019 · Caritas · A Quarterly Spotlight on Local Charities In July of 2008, I was visiting with Larry Miller in his 3. Philanthropy is hard work. It’s easy to give away hospital bed. money, but to do it the right way is hard work — meetings, visits, interviews and then presentations. Philanthropy is He said to me, “Jay, let me share something with you more than just giving a check. It’s about learning where that I shared with the family last night.” That is when I the needs are and learning how you can help and then, heard for the first time the slogan he coined: “Go about when possible, making a contribution to help the work doing good until there is too much good in the world.” move on. Many times, by meeting and getting to know the workings of a charitable nonprofit organization, you are He then said, “Jay, I need your able to offer additional needed resources besides a cash help to make sure the company donation. and family rally around this as our theme.” 3. Relationships are important and the right relationships will help you make your donations and your giving I said “OK,” not exactly sure go even further. Many times, good relationships will help how I could help. Little did I know you make the right decisions and joining together is where then that five years later, I would be 1+1=3. It really works! asked to oversee all the philanthropy for the company and the Miller 4. Partnerships. In the early years at the Utah Jazz, I family. learned that a good partnership with radio and TV stations Jay K. Francis could help me sell a lot of tickets and that having a part- Executive Vice President Miller Family Philanthropy I was familiar with Larry H. Miller nership with season ticketholders could help create more Charities that Larry started back in community ownership than us trying to do it alone. The 1995 so we could have a focused same is true with philanthropy. To do something the right and unified giving effort in the company and which allowed way, there are times when you need to bring others to the employees to also donate from their paychecks and give table and make more from less. back to the communities where they lived. But I have learned so much more about giving and giving back and 5. A planned, coordinated effort from multiple entities, how important it is for us as individuals, as employees including leaders from nonprofit, government, community, and as business entities to give back. Let me share a few corporate and philanthropy, will help more people with things I have learned: less money. In the work of helping others and trying to do things better, I have learned that when multiple groups 1. I have learned that giving back and sharing needs and committed individuals come together to make change, to be part of a company’s business plan — not because they are able to accomplish so much more that any one of the return or what we get back, but because it is the of them could do alone. In some circles, this is called right thing to do. Gail Miller has said to our leaders and “Collective Impact.” Call it what you want, but it really managers, “The communities where we do business works. should be better because we are there.” From a business perspective, this has two meanings: 1. We should provide We all have opportunities to give back. As company or goods and services that enhance what people are look- corporate leaders, we can give and provide opportunities ing for and what they need, and 2. We should be actively for others to give or serve and, as individuals and families, engaged in giving back to the community and making it a we can serve in our community. When we do serve and better and stronger place to live, work and play. give back, everyone wins. We are better people, someone benefits from our donation or service and the community 2. Giving back does not always have to be money. is a better place. Many times, a community just needs some helping hands to improve a park, build a fence, feed the homeless, read to school kids, visit the elderly and so on. For a company, large or small, to do a “Day of Caring” or a “Day of Service” can be one of the best things you can do for your employees. They will quickly recognize that life is good, and they will bond and develop relationships both inter- nally and in the community. Caritas · A Quarterly Spotlight on Local Charities · December 2019 · 3 utah Today's YWCA core programs are focused on three main areas: safety, opportunity and advocacy The YWCA first opened its doors Some women are referred to the her family who is thriving. Amina’s “One of the hallmarks of in Utah in 1906. And, while a lot has shelter by a victim advocate, a health- oldest child was recently awarded the YWCA is our collaborative changed since then, the mission and care provider such as an emergency a full-ride scholarship to attend approach,” she said. goal of the organization has stayed the room doctor or a family member. Westminster College. The YWCA campus also includes same. Other women, like Amina (name has One key thing Amina’s story 48 transitional housing units — fur- “We exist to meet the needs of been changed to protect identity) find illustrates, according to Phillips, is the nished one-, two- and three bedroom women,” said Amberlie Phillips, chief their way to the YWCA shelter on importance of community partnerships apartments — where women can stay development officer for YWCA Utah. their own. in the work the YWCA does. There for up to two years and pay rent on a “And every generation interprets that Amina, a refugee from Sudan, are 14 community partners located on sliding scale based on their income. differently. As the times change, so arrived at the YWCA with five chil- the YWCA campus, providing every- “They’re living independently does the YWCA.” dren; she had left two older children thing from legal services to mental while they work to rebuild their For example, when the YWCA behind in Sudan with an abusive health counseling to job coaching, and lives,” Phillips said. moved into its downtown Salt Lake husband. She spoke no English. They it’s all in one place. Many of the pro- Domestic violence is a prevalent City location in 1920, the building were taken in right away. grams on campus focus on children, but taboo topic in the state, Phillips included a swimming pool because As part of the check-in process, Phillips said, particularly to help them said. Of the YWCA’s nearly $6.5 mil- fitness options for women in the area each of her children received a well- process their trauma and break the were few and far between. child exam, where it was discovered cycle of violence they have experi- Today, the YWCA’s core pro- that one of her daughters had a serious enced. CONTINUED on page 4 grams are focused on three main heart condition that required emergen- areas: safety, opportunity and advo- cy surgery. Unfortunately, the inter- cacy. vention came too late and Amina’s One in three women in Utah will daughter died of cardiac arrest a week experience domestic violence, Phillips after the family arrived at the shelter. said, and “leaving an abusive rela- But, Amina remained determined tionship is a very difficult and com- to build a safe and violence-free life plicated thing.” The YWCA operates for herself and her children. With the largest domestic violence shelter the help of the YWCA’s economic in the state, providing a safe place empowerment specialist, Amina for women and their children to stay enrolled in ESL classes and had soon when they need it most. On any given learned enough English to pass her night, the YWCA emergency shelter is citizenship test. Soon afterwards she home to 225 women and children. landed a full-time job at a daycare. “Our first priority is safety and And while she was taking care of meeting those immediate needs,” other people’s children to support her Phillips said. “One of the hallmarks family, her four children were safe of our programs is that there is no set and looked after at the YWCA’s free, solution. We really try to empower licensed drop-in daycare, and after- women to make decisions on behalf school and teen programs. of themselves and their families.” Today Amina — who loves to The goal is to move women and cook and always dreamed of open- children out of the shelter and into ing a restaurant — is enrolled in the a more permanent housing solution International Rescue Committee’s within 30 days, but the affordable SPICE Incubator program where she housing shortage in the Salt Lake receives training, technical assistance The YWCA’s mission is three-fold, and includes providing and expanding opportunities area has made that timeline difficult, and access to capital to open her own for all women and children in the state. Events includethe annual Women’s Leadership Phillips said. Currently, the average restaurant business.

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