SALT LAKE CITY — Lori McQueen arrived in Utah in 2023 with nothing. Health issues were one factor that caused her to lose her nursing job in Florida, and she found herself homeless for months, staying in a women's shelter.
Today, McQueen is a resident and employee at The Other Side Village in Salt Lake City — a face of hope for others who are walking the same difficult road she once traveled. "At midnight when the bus came in, I walked with my walker to the shelter, and thankfully, they had a bed for me," McQueen said.
After months at the women's shelter, McQueen moved into The Other Side Village, where she found stable housing and a job. She now draws on her own experience to mentor and support fellow residents.
Preston Cochrane, CEO of The Other Side Village, nominated McQueen for a FOX 13 Dream Team surprise and described the many roles she plays in the community. "To see her in a role — whether it's a mentor role, could be a friend role — for many in the village who live here she might be a mother role, or aunt role or sister role. She has a lot of different hats," Cochrane said.
Cochrane said he was inspired to nominate McQueen after watching a previous Dream Team story on FOX 13. "Lori has been through a lot," he said.
McQueen now serves as a receptionist at The Other Side Village, greeting visitors and answering calls in the lobby. She said the community she has found there has become her family. "It's important that we have each other and we are there for each other," McQueen said.
For McQueen, The Other Side Village offered more than shelter — it offered a path forward. "If you are ready to make a change and you have hit rock bottom, you're done — it gives that whole person change," McQueen said.
She said the bonds formed within the community have made all the difference in her recovery and stability. "It's a good thing to always have people to talk to, to go cook together, watch movies together, play games together — it's really good," McQueen said.
The Dream Team surprise was organized by Cochrane, who snuck the Dream Team into the community room where McQueen's friends had gathered. Sharlene Wells, representing Mountain America Credit Union, presented McQueen with a gift basket that included blankets, lotions, chocolates, gift cards, and a contribution to her savings.
"Lori, we are amazed by your incredible journey. We are so proud of you. We have a very heavy gift basket to pamper you — blankets, lotions and chocolates and some gift cards and something for your savings. We want you to know how amazed and impressed we are by your incredible journey. You have come so far," Wells said.
The Other Side Village currently has 60 tiny homes and plans to expand to 456 homes to accommodate 500 residents, with the goal of getting more people into stable housing.
The FOX13 Dream Team, powered by Mountain America Credit Union, is looking to spotlight more people like McQueen. To nominate someone, visit FOX13now.com/DreamTeam.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
