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Partners

With the intent of maximizing resources and improving services, the Food & Care Coalition actively seeks opportunities to join with other community partners when prudent and mutually beneficial. Clients of the Food & Care Coalition enjoy many services as a result of this cooperative community interaction. Below is a brief description of some of these partnerships.

On-Site Partners

The Coalition built out a medical space for MCHC in 2015 to augment the existing dental clinic already housed onsite.  In addition to the programmatic services, the agency benefits from a $3,000 per month lease from this arrangement.  The clinic is staffed by two Physician Assistants, Nurses, and a PT Dentist.  After the passing of Dr. Eric Vogel, MCHC assumed the dental services that had been vacated by Share a Smile Foundation.

A formal partnership between the FACC and WBH began over 20 years ago and culminated in 2009 when the Coalition provided approximately ten offices onsite for the WATCH program, the homeless outreach team of WBH.  Staffing includes a secretary, nurse and prescriber, outreach and case management, therapists, and administrative personnel.  Services also include individual and group therapy, self-improvement classes, and jail outreach.

My Story Matters joined us in 2021 as a permanent onsite partner and offers the Captain Your Story curriculum to our housed clientele.  Our goal is to have 50 of our clients residing in either our transitional housing or Candlelight Villas complete the 3-month course each year. The primary objective was to add educational programs that have  the capability of impacting long-term change in clients (Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs).

Legend Real Estate was retained by the FACC in 2022 to provide property management services for our new permanent housing project, Candlelight Villas.  Their office is located in the DoTERRA partner building and are onsite several times a week to perform unit inspections, address tenant questions, handle contracts, and provide maintenance through SMC.

Visiting Partners

Students assist the Food & Care by volunteering in our hydroponic greenhouse, volunteering for meal-related service opportunities, hosting regular “ask a nurse” outreach days, and sponsoring periodic food and hygiene drives to restock diminishing supplies.

Students and instructors provide dental cleanings periodically with Dr. David Blackhurst.  Students used to be more involved when Share A Smile was onsite, however, the clinic is now only open 1 day a week which limits the student experience.  It has served as a practicum outlet for the university’s dental hygiene program.

We approached Deseret Industries in the mid 1990’s with the idea of routing donations to their agency in exchange for an annual grant for client clothing vouchers. The partnership offers clients a better selection of clothing while allowing our agency to focus our time and resources on other priorities.
The association meets monthly to discuss a variety of issues including the various commitments by area clergy on poverty issues. The group has provided feedback, insight, and support through their respective congregations over the past 15 years.  We are appreciative of the shared values and commitment to address poverty issues on a community level.

We have had a long-standing relationship with our local law enforcement for 25 years and counting.  We attended the first “Citizens Academy” provided by the Provo Police Department and have had dozens of employees complete the program since. Additionally, we meet with local law enforcement agencies weekly to collaborate on vulnerable clients (Provo, Orem, South County, etc.). Provo Police utilize our facility to train their drug dogs which also aids our agency in maintaining a drug-free environment.

This is a program that utilizes a little-known loan program for eligible Veterans to find home ownership. Two of our clients have been able to complete the program and move directly from our transitional housing program into their first home.

Representatives come onsite at least twice a month and meet with our clients to discuss and help them apply for Medicaid/Medicare benefits they may be eligible for.

The VA periodically reaches out to any new homeless entering services in Utah County by providing information regarding VA services they may be eligible for.  Additionally, VA case managers provide support to clients utilizing VASH vouchers at Candlelight Villas.

We have had close ties with various departments to provide substance abuse vouchers (waives the fee for assessments); provide immunizations (flu shots; Covid-19 vaccinations, etc.); and providing classes at the FACC such as tobacco cessation and nutrition classes.

Provides free eye exams with affiliated doctors and new glasses to individuals who can’t afford them through their charitable giving program. On most Friday’s our case managers meet with our clients at America’s Best in Spanish Fork to coordinate their exam and their order for a free pair of glasses.

The Coalition has been providing space for BYU legal clinics since their inception some 15 years ago. Law students from the J. Reuben Clark program in conjunction with faculty and licensed attorneys provide various legal services and document clinics to at risk and low-income clients which includes regular outreach at the FACC.  Our role in the formative years of the clinic led to the agency receiving the Distinguished Partner Award from the Utah State Bar in 2013.

Utah State University and Brigham Young University’s Nutrition program are currently conducting a 2-year longitudinal survey utilizing the Food $ense curriculum developed by USU. Participants are limited to those living in our transitional housing program. Those who participate in the study, take the 3-month course, provide various pre and post study measurements, receive a temporary membership to the Provo Rec Center and some small gifts for participating. The results of the study should be available in 2024.

Suited for Good is a program started by the co-founder of Tom Nox Men’s Shop, BJ Stringham, as a way to give back to low-income persons who have made strides towards self-sufficiency. Our case managers apply to the program on behalf of clients, who, if selected, are treated to a custom fitting and unique experience that ends with a professional suit for the client. Many of our clients have received this personalized and unique service.

DoTERRA provided the funding to construct the new community center located behind our main building which provides additional partner space, educational rooms, and space for regular volunteer opportunities for clients. Our volunteer coordinator and employees from DoTERRA sponsor monthly volunteer activities that benefit the community.  Projects have included the assembly of care kits for the homeless, quilts for the elderly, and projects for non-profits serving third world countries.  The purpose is to provide a productive avenue for our clients to give back in return for the generosity of services provided by and through the community.

BYU students and faculty periodically provide outreach and personal research services to our clients in the creation of a 4-generation family tree chart. The project is intended to assist clients to reconnect to community and family through family history research.

Modeled after a program that was sponsored by Catholic Charities in Denver Colorado, the projects’ sole purpose is to link university students with homeless for the express purpose of encouraging human connection. Students from BYU come during our mealtimes and can either have a meal with clients or just sit and talk.

Bicycle Collective is a state-wide nonprofit that provides bikes and bike education to the community. Provo Bicycle Collective provides free bikes to our clients who cannot afford to purchase their own. Since its inception in 2002, Bicycle Collective has repaired over 20,000 bicycles and sent them back into Utah communities, including many of our clients here at the Food & Care Coalition.

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