My Hometown is cleaning up Westside neighborhoods

My Hometown Westside volunteers after a cleanup event that included painting benches and tables along the Jordan River Trail at Alzheimer's Park. Photo by Paul Durham.

My Hometown Salt Lake City is currently assessing possible community projects and services in three areas of Salt Lake City: Northwest (Rose Park, Fairpark, Westpointe, and Jordan Meadows), Westside (Poplar Grove and Glendale), and Central (Ballpark and Liberty Wells).

My Hometown was established by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) several years ago to bring resources and volunteers to earmarked neighborhoods. Their goal was to make neighborhood improvements while also providing space and services to help residents improve their skills and access available services.

My Hometown works to improve living conditions, provide access to existing programs and services, and identify community and individual needs to sustain and improve neighborhoods, says My Hometown SLC Northwest Community Co-Executive Director Carlton Christensen, who lives in Rose Park with his wife and co-executive, Cathy. They partner with churches, schools, corporate sponsors, nonprofits, and community members to fulfill their mission.

Volunteers from the community and My Hometown Northwest work together to clean up a yard in the Rose Park neighborhood. Photo by Mary Egan.

The program started in West Valley City and now includes Provo, Ogden, and Salt Lake City. The community assessments, cleanups, and improvement projects are undertaken by 40-60 LDS Church “service missionaries” in each assigned area. Christensen says they work in their assigned communities eight to 24 hours each week, joined by local agency volunteers and neighbors.

“We want this to be a place that all cherish and can feel valued as our neighbors," says Christensen.

In 2023, 1,056 volunteers donated more than 3,000 hours of community service, assisted approximately 800 people, and completed 173 service projects.

“We want to help make [the three project areas in SLC] places where every individual is recognized as important, where each person has opportunities for growth and development, and where each person has access to services and people,” says the My Hometown Salt Lake City website.

Christensen notes that his work with My Hometown is tied to his faith, saying “this effort is really us living those beliefs and demonstrating it by being thoughtful and caring to everyone in our community and improving the place we call home.” Living in Rose Park his entire life, Christensen says he’s proud to help an area that means so much to him. “My wife and I now live in the family home where I grew up, and these are our people, our neighbors and our community.”

"When we serve one another, we care for each other regardless of faith or background. Being genuine and solving problems together makes this a community where all feel valued and helped. If we can accomplish even a little bit of that goal, especially in our current environment, we will be so much better because of it," Christensen says.

Last year, My Hometown events included sponsoring an Earth Day celebration with 15 non-profit agencies that provided information and services, including 50 eye exams. The Earth Day event attracted more than 200 community members who cleaned yards and public spaces in multiple communities, helped organize and provide free lunches for homeless individuals, and provided numerous no-cost resources and classes, including English as a second language (ESL) classes.

“Our goal is to strengthen the community and assist where we can, but not replace or duplicate efforts that already exist. If we can create a partnership, we start there first,” says Christensen, noting that, in addition to the volunteer services provided, each group meets regularly to plan, assess, and document overall efforts.

Volunteers at one of 70 projects that were completed by My Hometown Central last year involving 1,137 volunteers and 3,533 hours. Photo by Sue Hall.

“There is great, great happiness that comes in getting outside of yourself and serving other people,” says Kevin W. Pearson, LDS Church General Authority overseeing the Utah Area and the My Hometown project. “Life is a lot better. The world’s a lot better. Our communities, our neighborhoods are a lot better when there’s a community where people are proud to live. They trust one another, they help one another. And that’s what we’re hoping for. That’s why we’re doing this.”

"We love our Westside neighborhood and serving it through My Hometown,” says Salt Lake City My Hometown Co-Chair Jeffery Olsen, who is also a resident and a neighborhood board member in the Fairpark community. “[My Hometown] has given us the great experience of working together with people from many different backgrounds, especially serving people whose lives are very challenged. Serving together breaks down the barriers that increasingly divide us. We invite everyone to let us know who needs help and join us in serving. They won't regret it.”

All the LDS Church volunteers have been asked to serve in their assigned communities and do so without pay, says Christensen, noting that some funding is provided by the LDS Church but “we try to assist homeowners to apply for other grant funds” – all of which go to the individual homeowner.

“We provide volunteers to work in our community resource centers and in planned days of service,” Christensen added, “and it is the people in the respective neighborhoods who give us suggestions on where help is needed.”

Going forward, My Hometown plans to continue providing volunteers, classes, and resources. Eventually, the program plans to expand into other Salt Lake City neighborhoods.