Massive neighborhood Day of Service in Salt Lake reinforces value of partnerships

Fuller Center for Housing of Salt Lake President Tara Ross was certain in the fall of 2021 that for the covenant partner she leads to succeed, they needed to sharpen their focus.

“When I sought God’s guidance in the fall of 2021 for direction in an already busy season, I remember specifically asking repeatedly: where do I subtract?,” Ross recalls. “God answered in a very different way than what I was expecting, so I repeatedly asked for clarification. I couldn’t deny the word I simply heard: multiply. I had no idea how that was possible, but I knew He knew the who and the what and the when”

Though The Fuller Center for Housing of Salt Lake was less than two years old, Ross had already learned the value of partnerships. In order to multiply the covenant partner’s efforts, she would need to find the right partner. Instead, the right partner found The Fuller Center.

“When, not coincidentally but providentially — and on the heels of our openness to obey steps toward multiplication — we were approached by a group of folks called My Hometown Rose Park (MHRP) to partner on a large effort, we said yes. MHRP is a group of couples united as members of our state’s predominant religion, commonly known as Mormonism, and by their desire in their golden years to put their resources in time toward elevating a low-income neighborhood in Salt Lake County called Rose Park,” Ross says. “One of their goals was to complete five ‘Days of Service, during which they invite the neighborhood community to work on maintenance and repairs for willing low-income neighborhood homeowners. Another one of their goals was to select a nonprofit to partner with specifically to build awareness and encourage and multiply the reach of that nonprofit. They found and called Fuller. And we gladly, in obedience, answered that call.

“After months of meetings, we not only planned a large event but also established deep respect and friendship for one another,” Ross adds. “We may have sat at a table where different strains of theology were represented, but it was one where we had a common goal and purpose to follow in the footsteps of Jesus Christ who without judgment offered compassion and acknowledged need and set an example and a model of putting time and his effort toward the care of those in his literal path.”

More than 150 volunteers converged on the Rose Park neighborhood on April 30 for their first Day of Service with The Fuller Center. Ross addressed the crowd as they gathered in a circle to start the day. Ross chose to share the parable from Luke 5:18-25, which she believed would be fitting for the day to come.

“I shared a short devotion with the story in Luke Chapter 5 when a group of friends creatively find a way to lower their paralyzed friend through the roof to get to the feet of the Jesus they believed in, the Jesus who heals, the Jesus who makes away, the Jesus who is faithful to His promises, the Jesus who has a plan that we can trust enough to keep walking and taking the next right step,” she says. “That morning, we fanned out across the neighborhood, working on nine different properties, raking and painting and weeding and cleaning and yes, working on a roof.”

By the end of the day, the lesson of that story played out through the neighborhood.

“One of the unique opportunities of the Fuller model is a structure that allows participation from volunteers of all ages, for families and individuals and couples, for people of different backgrounds to come together and pull together in unity around a need and to develop relationship through the process of transforming a place or a space for someone in need,” Ross says..”And in that, at the feet of Jesus, we are transformed, too.”

TERRESA’s Project

Terresa is a one-of-a-kind, one-in-a-million walking miracle of a woman who has experienced more trauma than it seems right for one person to endure. It was our pleasure to help her achieve her great hope of repairing and replacing her bathroom floor – it may seem like a small project but made a great big difference to a deeply grateful and gracious individual.

After overcoming tremendous obstacles, Terresa is now a graduate of the New Life Program and is on staff at the Rescue Mission Women’s Center. She recently completed her Continuing Ministry Diploma and is on her way to a Bachelor of Arts. If you need a dose of hope, listen in on Terresa’s powerful (and painful) story, at captialstories.com.

FAYE’s Project

This spunky lady, 80-years young, called Fuller Center for Housing for a little help with her gutters. She decided it was finally time for her to stop climbing ladders! Faye’s story is a trail of courageous tales in fighting for the underdog, self-sustaining resilience and advocacy.

A small team scaled the ladders to her roof and took care of the job! We discovered that Faye was actually more in need of repair inside her home than outside of it, so a determined crew ripped up her old, damaged subfloor, prepped it for the new, clean floor and installed vinyl tile. It was a bit of a job, but what a privilege to improve the condition of her home and to love Faye and her spirit through this service!

And Faye is our first Greater Blessing Project! She will use that blessing to be a blessing by paying back (within an interest-free schedule in her means) a portion of the costs. And therefore, Faye helps Fuller fulfill its’ mission on the next project!

Say Pan’s Project

Say Pan and her growing family spent 20 years in a refugee camp in Myanmar before arriving in the United States and her incredible story of survival and generosity even in the most difficult circumstances is deeply inspiring. What a privilege to serve – right with Say Pan and her family! – this weekend as our volunteer team transformed the outside of her home. She had done a tremendous amount of work before we even arrived – and her grit and energy were as impressive as the amazing home-cooked meal she somehow simultaneously prepared and presented us at the end of the day. The house is bursting with her gaggle of children – as well as her extended family (including a family member due with twins in a couple of weeks). She is exactly the kind of recipient that Fuller hopes to partner with and we hope to be able to assist with more projects to improve the functionality and safety of her home soon. She is working hard at her full-time job – and is obviously truly a hard worker! – to transition her family out of poverty and improve the conditions of her home. And we were honored to help. If you would like to join our volunteer list to learn about upcoming projects, let us know!

MOBILIZING FOR MONTE VISTA MOBILE HOME PARK

This July, we took on some serious sweat equity as volunteer teams spent several days cleaning and sprucing up the “neighborhood” at the Monte Vista Trailer Park. Forty – yes, forty! – homes were given some love and care over the course of several weeks. As the Park Manager said, many of these homeowners (average age 75) do not have their families, their health or resources and are a group that is often “forgotten” in the community. Thank you for remembering these special homeowners!

Mom Shirley and daughter Stacey have lived together in this home for the last 53 years. Shirley’s age and health have confined her mostly to bed and she has not left her home in several years. Stacey is her caretaker but suffers from her own health challenges that significantly limit her mobility as well. As such, they are unable to care for the outside of their home.

Our Fuller team, in partnership with the generous labor of neighbors and the local LDS Ward, spent a particularly toasty morning tearing down and rebuilding a brick wall, trimming, weeding, shoveling and planting the front, side and back yards. It was quite a transformation and a gift to see the smile of Stacey – and even that of Shirley who was able to be wheeled out to see the change!

Celebrating our very first project! Christina is an incredible single mom raising four beautiful children. The exterior of her home needed some love and our small, but mighty team was able to clean and plant the beds surrounding her home. She hoped that the swing set for her two youngest children could become safe and functional – and what a transformation that was in a few short hours!

We squealed with joy when her toddler barreled down the slide face first as soon as he got the green light to give it a try. But the most powerful transformation happened in the garage, a place that Christina felt “represented the trauma of my life, that in some ways I still feel buried under.” It was our goal to help her dig out – and get her car in that garage! Mission accomplished!

Through bravely digging in, and with regular prayer for courage and strength throughout the day, the team was able to help Christina dig out – and find an emotional freedom she was looking for.