Nonprofits ready for day of giving

Frances Moody, The Park Record

Park City has more than 100 nonprofits working to serve its residents. From an organization dedicated to preventing suicide to an agency working to provide affordable housing, these entities are hoping to grab some extra help from locals on Nov. 4.

Live PC Give PC starts at midnight on Nov. 4 and continues for 24 hours. The point of the day is to encourage people to donate at livepcgivepc.razoo.com to the more than 100 organizations listed on the website.

Several nonprofits will be out on the town. Many have volunteers who will be promoting their causes curbside with signs and more.

While there are many organizations taking part in this day of giving, here are descriptions of four of them:

Recycle Utah wants less trash to go to the landfill

Recycle Utah wants to preserve Park City’s mountains for future generations, which is why the nonprofit focused on collecting recyclable materials is concerned with saving Summit County’s landfill.

The landfill is estimated to have space for about 18 more months, said Molly Brooks, the director of outreach and communications for Recycle Utah in Park City.

She said the nonprofit hopes to extend the landfill’s life by collecting plastics, metals and other materials through events and other initiatives.

“We are really trying to give people other options, so that less stuff ends up in the landfill,” Brooks said.

Recycle Utah will use donations from Live PC Give PC to fund events such as its Collection of Hard Recycled Material, also called CHaRM days.

“We are having a few events that will accept a few more items to entice people to come and bring as much as they can,” Brooks said. “These are items that you can’t put in your curbside recycling.”

The next CHaRM day, set for Nov. 15, will accept items such as CDs, batteries, bikes, books, cooking oil, bras, eyeglasses and cell phones.

In addition to its special recycling events, Recycle Utah has a number of recycle collection initiatives and education programs. So far it has collected 1.82 million pounds of materials for the 2016 calendar year.

Brooks said she hopes the organization’s efforts will empower people to lead more sustainable lives.

Volunteers for Recycle Utah will be in hazmat suits the day of Live PC Give PC. Brooks said they will be on the corner of Kearns Boulevard and Woodbine Way and on the corner of Munchkin Road and Bonanza Drive.
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Those donning hazmat suits will be holding signs to encourage people to give money and drop off recyclables.

Call Recycle Utah at 435- 649-9698 or visit http://www.recycleutah.org for information about the organization. To donate on Nov. 4, go to livepcgivepc.razoo.com.

The Speedy Foundation works to prevent suicides

Olympic aerial skier Jeret “Speedy” Peterson was a passionate person.

Even though he accomplished much during the 29 years he lived, Peterson sometimes let his strong emotions manifest in negative ways. Stuck in the darkness of depression, the outgoing athlete took his own life in Park City in 2011.

The Speedy Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to preventing suicide, was named after and created for Peterson, who participated in three Olympics, won a FIS world title and set a world record score for aerial skiing.

“The Speedy Foundation was created in the wake of a much-needed conversation that one person was trying to have,” said Shannon Decker, the organization’s executive director. “After his death, we realized that the conversation Speedy was trying to have was rooted in stigma and misinformation.”

Based in Boise, Idaho, and in Park City, the nonprofit raises money to support mental health education. It also uses funds to conduct outreach regarding mental health advocacy.

“The Speedy Foundation acts as an advocate and educational center on topics of mental illness, adverse childhood experiences, toxic stress and trauma,” Decker said. “These are topics that impact all communities around the world.

Decker said the main goal of the foundation is to let those in situations similar to Speedy’s know it’s OK to talk about depression and mental illness.

“There needed to be a voice out there saying, ‘it’s OK to talk about the things that are hard to talk about,’” Decker said. “It’s OK to talk about depression, anxiety, substance use, abuse, neglect, daily struggles, disappointment, challenging transitions, etc.”

The Speedy Foundation works with the Utah Suicide Prevention Coalition and the Summit County Suicide Prevention Coalition to continue the conversation Speedy started.

Decker said the funds it receives from Live PC Give PC will go to Mental Health First Aid and QPR (Question, Persuade, Refer) training programs in the Park City area.

“Once we honestly confront the problem, we can begin to learn and practice resilience strategies and share hope in the lives of those around us.”

More facts on the foundation can be found at http://www.thespeedyfoundation.org. Live PC Give PC donations to the organization can be made at livepcgivepc.razoo.com.

Habitat for Humanity makes homeownership a possibility for all
The conventional path to homeownership isn’t for everyone, especially if you live in a community with a housing shortage.
Founded in 1995 for families unable to purchase high-priced homes, Habitat for Humanity of Summit and Wasatch Counties is hoping to raise funds on Nov. 4 at Live PC Give PC.
Mikey Butters, Habitat’s development manager, said any donations will go to the nonprofit’s programs.
“Habitat for Humanity is grateful to be a part of Live PC Give PC,” he said.  “The funds raised from this event go directly to support our home ownership, neighborhood revitalization, financial literacy and advocacy programs.”
In addition to building homes with land, material and labor donations, Habitat for Humanity and its volunteers rehabilitate homes, advocate for fair and just housing policies and provide financial education and access to resources that help families improve their shelter conditions.
In order to live in a Habitat for Humanity house, family members must dedicate 200 hours to building their house and make a payment of $3,000 to $3,500. Once they become official habitat homeowners, they pay a mortgage with a zero percent interest.
The nonprofit has a lot going on the day of Live PC Give PC. Its volunteers and employees will be at the corner of the Olympic Park intersection from 7:30-9:30 a.m. to represent Habitat for Humanity. The organization will also have a table inside Hugo Coffee Shop at the Olympic Park intersection. The table will be there from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Habitat’s Restore also will have a table set up from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Butters said there will be special discounts to people who donate to the thrift shop.
Read about Habitat for Humanity and how it works at http://www.habitat-utah.org. You can give to the nonprofit by going to livepcgivepc.razoo.com.
Friends of the Park City Library supports programs book lovers enjoy

Friends of the Park City Library is dedicated to supporting the library by providing funding for its computer software, staff conferences and book collections.
“Each year, the Friends of the Library raises funds through memberships and fund raising that enrich library offerings and services,” said Jean Daly, the nonprofit’s co-president.
In addition to seeking donations through Live PC Give PC, the group holds fund-raising programs such as the Friends Bookstore in the front of the Park City Library. The store has used books and magazines for sale.
The nonprofit also holds an annual book sale during Labor Day weekend. Books and audio books are sold at bargain prices.
“The Friends also sponsors the Annual Author Luncheon, a social event rewarding the community for its support, featuring a best-selling author and a great lunch,” Daly said.
When it comes to allocating what funds go to which library programs, the 12 members on the Friends of the Library board meet once a month to divvy out money to meet library needs.
The entity’s board members will be at the library on Nov. 4 to answer questions and to encourage people to donate through Live PC Give PC at livepcgivepc.razoo.com.
Contact Daly at jean.m.daly@gmail.com if you have questions about Friends of the Park City Library.