SALT LAKE CITY — An organization in Salt Lake City is giving families experiencing homelessness a place to find warmth, shelter and nourishment.
Family Promise of Salt Lake, this month's Smith's Zero Hunger Hero, focuses on making sure families have shelter.
The need is growing.
According to the 2026 Point in Time Count, more than 200 Salt Lake county families — consisting of 664 people — experienced some form of homelessness, an increase of 97 individuals, or roughly 17%, since 2024.
"Family homelessness is one of the fastest rising segments of the homeless population," said Brian Diggs, executive director of Family Promise of Salt Lake.
Diggs, a reverend, said the people his organization serves are not always who the public might expect.
"You've got families doubled up with friends or parents. You've got families living in cars, so really it's not the traditional person you see on the side of the street, although sometimes you do," Diggs said.
The facility is a lifeline for parents and their children who do not have permanent housing.
Diggs said economic pressures are pushing more families to the brink.
"As we see inflation on the rise and we see families struggling more and more, living paycheck to paycheck, you miss one paycheck and you could find yourself out on the streets. So we're kind of a safety net for these families," Diggs said.
Food is an important part of the Family Promise mission, and community volunteers and donations help the facility meet the need.
"We work with the community volunteers across the valley, from different organizations that actually bring in home cooked meals to the families that we have in our shelters. We serve, counting emergency shelter and transitional housing, about 6000 meals a year," Diggs said.
The Family Promise emergency shelter can house four families at a time, and the organization also has five transitional housing units.
Families who have moved on to permanent housing can return for food assistance.
At any time, Family Promise provides meals to 20 families a day.
When families reach stable housing, Diggs said it is cause for celebration.
"It's a great thing. It really is. We work really hard to help our families do that, and when they do, it's a huge celebration," Diggs said.
Tina Murray from Smith's joined FOX13 at the facility to honor the nonprofit as a Zero Hunger Hero and deliver a surprise check for $1000 to help the organization continue its service to Utah's most vulnerable residents.
Family Promise accepts donations. More information on the organization's mission and how to donate can be found here: Home - Family Promise Salt Lake
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