SALT LAKE CITY — Helping the most vulnerable in our state is Utah Community Action’s mission.
They are the largest nonprofit in Utah, serving more than 53,000 people, and that includes the more than 1,200 children in the Head Start school program. But nearly all of the Community Action funding comes from federal grants, and officials fear that money could be on the chopping block in the next federal budget.
Utah Community Action actively helps people who are living at or below the poverty line. According to Jennifer Godfrey, the Chief Executive Officer for the group, that section of the population is already struggling: "The day-to-day struggle is very real, very real!"
Godfrey says the folks they help are trying to meet their own basic needs on a weekly or even daily basis. "Am I going to be able to make rent this month? Do I have enough means to put food on the table for my family?" Godfrey explained.
For those who have families, organizers say their biggest questions are 'What about our kids?' Through Utah Community Action's Head Start program, more than 1,220 kids are enrolled in daycare and school.
Andrea Rosas is a Head Start teacher who has been with the program for five years. She says people can witness the impact they are making each day. "It's actually meaningful what we do here for the kids," Rosas stated. "Being here, supporting them, and loving and providing for them. To me, it's not just a job; it's something that I really love to do!"
Rosas is one of the 550 Utah Community Action employees that Jennifer Godfrey worries about if the Trump administration were to decrease or even eliminate their funds. "And my job entails not only making sure that the community needs are met, but my employee's needs are met. So it has been incredibly challenging to lead during this time," Godfrey expressed.
Her office helps people in Salt Lake, Weber, Tooele, Morgan, and Davis Counties. Godfrey says they are fully funded until the end of September, but after that, it's anybody's guess.
If you would like to know more or would like to learn how you can help, go to their website by clicking here.
