November 2025

Look for Us! Light the World Giving Machines

This holiday season Friends of the Children – Utah is grateful be part of the Giving Machines at City Creek Center!

We are honored to be featured alongside other local nonprofits located in City Creek Center as part of this year’s Giving Machines, part of the Light the World campaign by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. A Giving Machine is an interactive donation kiosk (like a vending machine!) that lets you choose a charitable gift, make a donation, and watch it “drop” into the world so you can see the impact of your gift in real time.

The Giving Machines will be at City Creek Center from Friday, November 21, 2025, to Thursday, January 1, 2026.

Inside the machines, you’ll find four Friends – Utah cards, each one representing a meaningful way to directly support the youth and families in our program. By donating a card, you are helping provide real support, from healthy after-school snacks to learning supplies to caregiver workshops that strengthen families and help children thrive. Every card makes a difference for youth and families right here in the Salt Lake Valley.

The launch event will take place on Monday, November 24 at 10:45 AM at The City Creek Center in the Outdoor Plaza near the Food Court. Come stop by, make a donation to Friends - Utah, and be part of something that brings joy and generosity this holiday season.

If you aren't able to visit City Creek Center during this giving season, you can support Friends - Utah through our virtual Giving Machine on our website from now until January 1, 2026.

Visit Our Virtual Giving Machine

Stories of Impact at Utah Nonprofits Film Festival

Thank you to the Utah Nonprofits Association for including Friends - Utah in the Nonprofit Film Festival earlier this month! We were honored to be featured in a documentary alongside 11 fantastic Utah nonprofits—all committed to crucial work like mental health, housing, abuse prevention, the environment, and more.

We are inspired by our community of dedicated nonprofit partners who continue to energize us to make lasting, positive change in our communities. Nathan Anderson of Union Pacific Railroad said it best when he summed up the value of our sector: "You are local, you are focused, you are nimble."

We loved connecting with other nonprofit leaders and celebrating the generous philanthropy that makes this work possible. Thank you, UNA, for the wonderful evening!

Celebrating Resilience: A Parent's New Chapter

Relationships are the source of building resilience, and we are honored to walk alongside our youth and their caregivers as they overcome challenges and create new pathways forward. We want to celebrate Selena*, the incredible mother of 8-year-old Adam (who has been paired with his Friend, Christian, since 2021). Selena is courageously in recovery, having addressed past substance use challenges that led to incarceration and the temporary loss of custody of her children.

Friends-Utah connected Selena to Circles Salt Lake, a dedicated program that builds bridges of friendship and community, supporting families on their journey from surviving to thriving. With the support of Friends-Utah and Circles Salt Lake, Selena is now back in school working toward her GED, with plans to attend massage therapy school! She frequently leans on Adam’s Friend, Christian, for support and guidance as she navigates systemic barriers and works to strengthen relationships and set a positive example for her children.

Because Friends-Utah is a two-generation program, we focus on empowering both youth and their caregivers. By connecting families to resources and guidance, we help children like Adam thrive while enabling caregivers like Selena to grow, heal, and lead by example. The result is stronger families, brighter futures, and real, lasting impact. *Youth name changed to protect privacy.

Oh, the Places We'll Go!
Friends-Utah Wins Seuss-tastic Halloween Contest!

Our team dove into the annual Friends of the Children costume challenge this Halloween! Friends - Utah created a literacy-focused Dr. Seuss extravaganza to compete against other chapters across the country and we won!

We think that the winners deserve a big cheer!

The costumes were great, it is perfectly clear!

We hope that these outfits, so zany and bold,

Bring smiles that last longer than stories are told!