My Hometown Ogden 2023 Annual Report

2023

ANNUAL REPORT

MY HOMETOWN OGDEN MISSION STATEMENT My Hometown Ogden is a joint effort of Ogden City, interdenominational organizations, local businesses, and community partners, working together to improve lives. Its central purpose is to encourage all residents to have the Courage to Care for one another by providing platforms in the community that will elevate education, improve property conditions and promote resources for better job opportunities.

Come join us in this journey by having the Courage to Care!

VISION STATEMENT

Courage to Care MY HOMETOWN OGDEN

The vision of My Hometown Ogden is to create beautiful communities of personal growth, happiness, friendship, and hope.

WHAT IS MY HOMETOWN OGDEN? OUR STORY In 2022, My Hometown Ogden began with five days of service. The all-volunteer outreach team asked Ogden City homeowners and renters if they needed help with any home or yard care projects. The responses ranged from something as simple as mowing an overgrown lawn and picking up fallen tree branches, to painting a home and rebuilding a porch. This remarkable effort continued through 2023 with an increase in projects completed and the realization of Community Resource Centers fully functioning.

From this beginning the level of citizen engagement expanded. Those who were helped became the helpers by becoming block captains who worked with their neighbors to identify other projects and what resources were needed to address them. Together as a community, local businesses, business leaders, and volunteers all chipped in to minimize or completely eliminate the financial burden for homeowners and renters alike. This is uniting neighborhoods and creating caring and lasting friendships through Neighborhood Services.

The My Hometown Ogden story now includes Community Resource Centers where residents can go to find no-cost resources and classes for adults, youth and children.

These range from practical skills such as sewing and computer basics to hobbies and interests such as piano and guitar lessons, and arts & crafts. The list of available classes is always expanding, and all are welcome to sign up or suggest what additional classes would be of value to the Ogden community.

WHAT DO WE DO? 1. Work to upgrade the housing and appearance of the neighborhood.

2. Offer opportunities for the Ogden community’s families to learn and improve their circumstances.

3. Help create a community where people will want to invest their time, money, and efforts.

HOW WE DO IT: • • • •

Improve both public and private property in the community.

Elevate Kindergarten through 12th grade educational performance.

Help adults improve their skills, thereby raising incomes.

Make neighborhoods safer.

HEART AND SOUL OF MY HOMETOWN OGDEN BLOCK CAPTAINS: • Get to know the neighbors on their block.

• Identify talents, interests and needs, and share information about My Hometown Ogden events and service projects.

• Create close-knit, caring neighborhoods with residents who look out for each other.

GETTING TO KNOW BLOCK CAPTAIN, KIMBERLENE BUTLER

My Hometown Ogden is a great community program that promotes helping to improve the aesthetics of the exteriors of homes and landscapes. The program instills a sense of community pride, helping neighbors to help neighbors.

Mr. Bruce Jardine and Mr. Lief Handy showed up at my door to introduce the program, My Hometown Ogden.

I was asked to be the Block Captain, and I said yes because I had the desire to get involved in community activities.

I can genuinely say that I have enjoyed meeting the members and volunteers for My Hometown Ogden Program. They made me feel needed and showed me so much love and respect. I enjoyed walking door to door, handing out flyers, and meeting the various neighbors. I also had the opportunity to work in the neighborhood and to improve the pre-existing conditions of the outside of the homes and landscaping.

Ms. Coralie Bolingbrook is an elderly lady in my neighborhood that was in need of a Handicap Ramp, and I had an opportunity to work on that project as well as many others. It was a rewarding feeling and a great experience to give back to the neighborhood and see the smiles on my neighbor’s faces. Coralie tearfully thanked all who were involved and baked some delicious cookies stating that was all she was able to do.

I also was asked what I needed help with, and that was my sprinkling system, which was not working properly. Simplified Landscapes volunteered to take on that project at no cost. I was so grateful because I didn’t know how I was going to remedy that problem and the cost. It brought joy to my heart to receive help and to help others in need.

Working as a Block Captain with My Hometown Ogden Program is an experience that I will always treasure, and I will fully support.

DAYS OF SERVICE Every summer from May to October, My Hometown Ogden organizes four Days of Service to address the needs of homeowners and renters. The needs can include: • • • • •

Exterior home repairs Yard clean-up and landscaping Home painting and siding Tree pruning and removal Fence, deck, or porch repair or replacement May 6 1,155 Volunteers gave 3,979.75 hours of service, completing 82 projects June 17 1,335 Volunteers gave 4,576.75 hours of service, completing 78 projects September 9 1,208 Volunteers gave 3,825.5 hours of service, completing 82 projects October 21 1,360 Volunteers gave 5,106.25 hours of service, completing 75 projects

2024 DAYS OF SERVICE: May 4th June 22nd September 14th October 19th

“Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much!”

BY THE NUMBERS

5,058 VOLUNTEERS

317 PROJECTS

17,488.25 HOURS OF SERVICE

$556,126.35 VOLUNTEER SERVICE VALUE

*NONPROFIT LEADERSHIP CENTER ($31.80/hr)

195.05 TONS IN DUMPSTERS 217 LOADS TO GREEN WASTE 241.63 TONS MOVED TO TRANSFER STATION

BY THE NUMBERS OGDEN CITY CODE ENFORCEMENT IMPACT In many cases city code violations that aren’t addressed by homeowners must be addressed by the city, and that’s an abatement cost. In 2023, the My Hometown Ogden Days of Service saved the city $100,700 in these costs. With many properties volunteers eliminated many decades of nuisance complaints and violations.

• 1st Event- 55 Cases Closed $14,000 Abatement Savings • 2nd Event- 41 Cases Closed $38,500 Abatement Savings • 3rd Event- 42 Cases Closed $24,100 Abatement Savings • 4th Event- 49 Cases Closed $24,100 Abatement Savings • TOTAL ABATEMENT SAVINGS: $100,700 • TOTAL CLOSED CASES: 187

“We are truly changing lives here. Helping those who need it most with compassion and empathy.”

FIRST HAND RESULTS: GIVING A HAND UP, NOT A HAND OUT From being helped to helper One of the first projects was initiated with the help of a volunteer with My Hometown Ogden. His next-door neighbors, had been trying to find a contractor to do a waterwise project in the park strip of their home. The volunteer visited them several times and was able to explain more about My Hometown Ogden after which the neighbor purchased all of the materials for the project and did as much prep work as possible. Even with that completed, the neighbor couldn’t figure out how volunteers would be able to complete the project in three hours. They were assured all the volunteers were up to the task and no one would leave until the work was done – and on the Day of Service, 40 volunteers showed up to ensure that’s exactly what happened. As a result of this service, the neighbor became a block captain and has since overseen many other My Hometown Ogden projects in the neighborhood.

From a dream to a reality Due to structural instability, one homeowner hadn’t used the front porch of her home in years. Despite what seemed to be the insurmountable cost, she had saved her money with the dream of someday being able to replace the porch. That dream came true when volunteers with My Hometown Ogden knocked on her door. With the help of volunteer labor and the money she’d saved, the cost to rebuild it was suddenly within her reach.

Now she has a more hopeful outlook on life, and a beautiful lookout from her new porch – all thanks to volunteers.

From family tragedy to freedom Due to a family tragedy, the owner of one home hadn’t been in his backyard in many years. The overgrowth of plants and trees combined with other refuse was a burden he couldn’t bear on his own. On the Day of Service, 25 My Hometown Ogden volunteers showed up to let him know help had arrived. Within a few hours, they cut their way through and hauled away the jungle of growth and enabled the homeowner to freely walk around his entire home for the first time in many years.

From a broken window to a room with a view One My Hometown Ogden volunteer knew of a homeowner unable to afford the cost of replacing a broken window in their home. Being a friend of one of the owners of Bennett’s Glass, he asked if they’d consider donating a new window. Not only did they agree to donate the window, but they also agreed to install it! They homeowner was thrilled with the results and repeatedly thanked the workers for their care and concern.

Another example of how the spirit of volunteerism is lifting burdens and inspiring the lives of the citizens of Ogden City Elim Lutheran Church: Proud members of the Ogden Community What do you get when volunteers, people of faith and private businesses come together? You get a community that has to courage to care about a church and a congregation that’s been a vital part of Ogden City since 1888. Nearly two years ago My Hometown Ogden partnered with Elim Lutheran Church and then Pastor Bruce Kolasch to help with the landscaping around their chapel on the corner of 23rd Street and Jefferson Avenue. Arbor Pro Tree Service and Simplified Landscaping joined the effort by donating labor, materials, and equipment to do the heavy lifting while dozens of My Hometown Ogden volunteers stepped in with strong backs, willing hearts and more than enough energy to get the job done. From pruning trees, trimming bushes, and planting flowers, to a utility shed and park strip makeover, the results clearly tell passersby that members of Elim Lutheran Church are also proud members of the Ogden community.

Inherited Home Dave inherited a home from his parents who had lived in the home through WWII. After winter Dave discovered many of his trees were dead or in very bad shape and some junipers had overgrown a good part of the backyard. “We haven’t been able to see the back fence in years due to those bushes”. The MyHTO team cut back the dead and dying trees, shrubs and bushes. The team found a small back in the undergrowth.

When they opened the bag it contained coins – some dating back to 1941 (WWII era). It was an exciting find to compliment the amazing job they did on the yard.

Tears in her eyes Angie had heard about MyHTO and was grateful when we knocked on her door. Her husband had passed away and she was concerned about the backyard and the amount of debris and undergrowth that had started to accumulate. One section of her yard was in great shape, but behind the chain link fence was a deep pile of dead trees, branches leaves, and other debris. The debris field was the width of the yard and another 30 feet in depth. The MyHTO team showed up and Angie met us in the backyard. Every time we asked her questions the tears in her eyes expressed her gratitude that she also shared verbally. When the team started to pack up, she said, “I can’t believe all you have done to help me. Thank you, thank you, thank you.” She wasn’t the only one with tears in her eyes when we said goodbye.

Before

After

SERVICE AREAS My Hometown Ogden focuses on three key geographical areas in Ogden – North, South, and West. Within each area, block captains work with their neighbors to identify those in need of assistance. This interaction builds rapport among neighbors while also addressing those projects they care about the most. That’s unity through service!

COMPLETED PROJECTS MAP 2023 Completed Projects

SOCIAL MEDIA My Hometown Ogden is represented on two social media platforms: Facebook and Instagram, as well as the website www.myhometownogden.com. All contribute to its visibility in the Ogden community as well as facilitate the ability of residents to know what’s happening, how they can help, and what educational opportunities are available.

Below are the most recent statistics from its Facebook page.

490 Followers 12,010 Facebook Reach 5,713 Facebook Visits 184 New Follows 17,788 Paid Impressions “Sprucing things up a bit at a soon-to-be new My Hometown Ogden Community Resource Center at 555 E. 24th Street. We’re proud to partner with Columbus Adult Education and No Mas Legal to offer the inner city Ogden community even more resources and learning opportunities. Stay tuned!”

“Working with fellow volunteers to prepare sack lunches for the homeless. Good people doing good works!”

COMMUNITY RESOURCE CENTERS PURPOSE The purpose of Community Resource Centers (CRC’s)is to offer a safe place for everyone to learn new skills, create friendships, and build strong neighborhoods.

Community Resource Centers offer no cost classes for everyone from children to senior citizens.

Various educational services are offered at the following CRC locations: 373 15th Street 770 15th Street 555 24th Street (Coming Soon!)

COMMUNITY RESOURCE CENTERS EDUCATIONAL SERVICES OFFERED Education opportunities include • Self-reliance • English literacy • Courses in personal finance, home and auto repair & maintenance, basic computer skills, sewing • Emergency preparedness • Speaking up for yourself and your community Digital Center • Computer and internet access • Printing capability Health & wellness • Fitness and sports activities • Children’s activities Music and art lessons for all ages • Piano (group and individual) • Guitar • Watercolor painting Just for kids • Acting & Voice • Crafts • Music

Examples of classes offered • Auto repair and maintenance • Children’s Acting • Children Building Wooden Toys • Children’s Craft Class • Children’s Music • Computer Basic Skills • English for Spanish Speakers • English Reading for Spanish Speakers • Family History • Fit with Friends • Group Piano • Guitar • Home Repairs/Home Maintenance • Open Computer • Piano Lessons • Spanish for Beginners • Spanish Literacy • Stretching Your Grocery Dollars • Tutoring General Studies • Tutoring Math • Tutoring Reading – adults and children • Watercolor Painting • Ukulele

No Mas Legal At the soon-to-open new CRC location at 555 24th Street, My Hometown Ogden has partnered with No Mas Legal to offer free legal help for immigrant families. These legal services include naturalization, family-sponsored visas, and asylum.

CRC’s - BY THE NUMBERS

5,438 ATTENDEES

38 CLASSES/2 LOCATIONS

3,339 VOLUNTEER HOURS

PROUD COMMUNITY SUPPORTERS

“We’re not here to do it for them, We are here to do it with them!”

It’s been our pleasure to serve here today, Hoping we helped you along your way.

My Hometown Ogden looks for a clue, To lift others burdens in all that we do.

For many hands make work feel light, When we labor together with all our might.

May hope and happiness always be found, As we strive to be better in our hometown.

For God uses people like you and me, His hands - on earth we can truly be.

When there’s someone in need that we observe, Let’s PAY IT FORWARD…go and serve!

Have a wonderful day!