2nd Floor Renovation for Family Promise

Executive Summary

First United Methodist Church (First UMC) at 203 East 200 South in downtown Salt Lake City is currently seeking funding to renovate the 2^nd floor of its building into non-congregant emergency shelter for unhoused families receiving services from Family Promise Salt Lake (FPSL). The renovation will create a self-contained, secure, welcoming residence, including a kitchen and dining room, ADA and regular shower rooms, a washer and dryer, four private bedrooms for families, an overnight host's bedroom, and a living room.  The new facility will host up to four families progressing through the FPSL program.

Family Promise Salt Lake

“Before my children and I came to Family Promise, I was scared of what was going to happen to us. I had gone through a difficult year beforehand and the thought of not knowing where I was going to go was heartbreaking. I didn't have any family in Utah which made things harder. The school advocate at my boys' previous school was our guardian angel. She contacted Kate at Family Promise. From the moment I received her phone call, I felt a huge relief and knew God had answered my prayers. Everyone at Family Promise was so kind, extremely helpful, and caring. They want the best for guests and work hard to make sure things change in people's lives for the better.”

Family Promise is a national nonprofit that has brought faith communities and other organizations together to support unhoused families through shelter, meals, and skills training since 1986. The Salt Lake City affiliate of Family Promise was organized in 1997, with First UMC one of the eight founding congregations. FPSL has served over 800 families since it began operating. From 1997 through March 2020, First UMC offered its 2nd-floor Sunday School classrooms as non-congregant emergency shelter for families three times per year for two weeks at a time. The 2^nd floor contained four private bedrooms for families, an overnight host bedroom, two half-baths, and a lounge. The families had access to the church kitchen, a dining area, a washer and dryer, and a shower on the basement floor. Volunteers from First UMC provided evening company, served hot meals, and stayed overnight in case of emergency. For many years, Park City Community Church provided volunteers during the second week of the families’ stay at First UMC.

Recent History

“Since 2020, Utah has seen a 27% increase in families experiencing homelessness. In the past year, The Road Home outreach staff reports serving a total of 86 households — 270 people, including 180 children — who were living somewhere not meant for human habitation...the Road Home reported having to turn away approximately 834 families — approximately 3,100 people, 2/3 of whom were children — in the past year.” 

                    -KSL.com, August 22, 2024

In 2022, FPSL reopened its emergency shelter program after COVID forced a temporary switch to offering only transitional housing, a model which did not require volunteer presence. After the emergency shelter program reopened, FPSL changed its model for hosting unsheltered families during their first 90 days in the program to better follow trauma-informed care procedures. Prior to 2022, families moved between host churches in a Rotational Model,  staying one to four weeks at a time at each location, with each location hosting three to four times per year.

Families entering emergency shelter now stay in one location for up to 90 days as part of a Static Model, before moving into either housing of their own or into transitional housing provided by FPSL, depending on their needs and circumstances. Hilltop United Methodist Church in Sandy and Christ United Methodist Church in Millcreek currently serve as the two FPSL emergency shelter static sites because they have facilities that are comfortable and practical for families over an extended stay.

In late 2022, First UMC’s mission-driven congregation began investigating the possibility of becoming an emergency shelter static site for FPSL. The congregation recognized that the church's current facilities do not offer the level of comfort, accessibility, and security that guest families need for a 90-day stay and that renovation was necessary. First UMC temporarily paused renovation plans because an opportunity arose to support a lifesaving ministry for unsheltered community members. Known as Movie Nights, this ministry offers unsheltered people overnight shelter, hot meals, and supplies on the coldest nights of the year and is now part of the state's Code Blue winter overflow shelter program.  While providing space for Movie Nights, First UMC supported FPSL by providing volunteers and meals to the families in emergency shelter at Hilltop UMC and Christ UMC. Our volunteers resumed serving meals in December 2022 and continue to the present day for one or two weeks at a time at each location, four times a year.

Current Actions

“ No child should be forced to sleep in a tent or a car because there is not a bed available for them at a homeless shelter. Between August 2023 to August 2024, the family shelter in Midvale had to turn away 3,107 people — two-thirds of them children. The long term impacts of this failure to protect children from the trauma and uncertainty of homelessness should alarm all of us. The experience of homelessness has long term impacts on the physical and mental health of children and makes them more likely to be held back for one, or even two, grades.  We collectively need to pool our time and resources to ensure that every child in Utah has a warm and safe place to sleep."                      

                       - Bill Tibbitts, Deputy Executive Director of Crossroads Urban Center

The 2^nd Floor Renovation Project was approved by the First UMC Governing Board in January 2024 with congregational support.  The Governing Board concluded that:

1)     We can support the new FPSL static site model, with volunteers at First UMC to serve a minimum of 10 meals over a 90-day period.  Other churches or organizations will provide volunteers for the remaining days.

2)     We support the idea of being able to host FPSL guests and Movie Nights in our building as long as they do not overlap for security purposes. We will host Movie Nights from November 1 to March 30 and FPSL for one or two 90-day periods between April 1 and October 31.

3)     We support renovating the 2nd floor into a self-contained residence for FPSL guests, including secure entries, kitchen and dining room, bath and shower, laundry, four bedrooms for guests and one for an overnight host, and a living room.

 Unfortunately, the 2^nd Floor Renovation Project was again delayed due to new challenges that arose in our nearly 120-year-old building. The elevator stopped working in March 2024, necessitating a major modernization.  In May 2024, the 30-year-old boiler began leaking badly and had to be replaced.  First UMC's time, attention, and funds were redirected to these essential upgrades.  In January 2025, a new boiler was installed. The elevator upgrades will begin in September 2025.  Despite these delays, First UMC launched the Family Promise Campaign on June 9, 2024. Information about volunteering for FPSL, renderings of the proposed 2nd floor remodel, and ideas for fundraising were presented to our congregation.

With the building challenges of 2024 behind us, First UMC is committed to the 2^nd Floor Renovation Project.  Our congregation is excited and hopeful for community support because we cannot see this project over the finish line alone.  First UMC is well known for our service to those in need, in downtown Salt Lake City and beyond.  With our well-established church leadership, our decades of care for our community, and our pastoral direction, we are confident that this project will enable us to help meet the urgent need for more family shelter space.

Vision for the Future

The goal of FPSL is to continue increasing its capacity to serve families in emergency shelter. Two additional static sites would allow FPSL to double the number of families it serves. First UMC feels called to support unsheltered families through converting this underutilized space in our building into a safe, welcoming environment that allows families to pursue their journey back to stable housing.

Salt Lake City Zoning:  Homeless Resource Center Overlay District

Purpose:  The intent of the overlay is to consider the safety and welfare of those experiencing homelessness while considering the impact to city services and adjacent neighborhoods and minimize the effects on neighborhoods and populations that have traditionally been marginalized when considering locations for future homeless resource centers.

21A.34.160.D.  “Applicability To Places of Worship. A place of worship is not required to petition for a zoning map amendment to apply this overlay provided any emergency shelter provided is part of the ecclesiastic function of the place of worship. A place of worship that provides emergency shelter to people experiencing homelessness shall comply with the provisions of Section 21A.36.350.”

Therefore, the Salt Lake City code 21A.34.160.D allows for a place of worship to utilize space in the church building as a homeless resource center (emergency shelter).

The Budget

The 2^nd floor renovation budget is generally broken down as follows:

Electrical –

Fire, smoke and alarm protection –

Mechanical –

Plumbing –

Structural –

Total

Donations to Date

As of August 6, 2025 - $6,503.85

First UMC membership is composed of a multi-cultural community, including an immigrant and under-privileged population that is unable to undertake this vital renovation alone. We are seeking additional funding from the community at large to assist us in this endeavor.  Nevertheless, the congregation is actively engaged in raising 8-10% of the total cost of the project with 100% participation. All donations can be sent to: 

1)     2^nd floor renovation

203 S 200 E

SLC, UT 84111

OR 2) on our website under GIVE and click under Trustees Fund.

Architectural Rendering

Of note:  One classroom will be modified to be a kitchen and dining with an addition of a shower and ADA shower.  A washer and drier space will also be added.