Policy Project

THE MISSION OF THE POLICY PROJECT IS TO REMOVE BARRIERS TO OPPORTUNITY THROUGH SOLUTION-BASED POLICY AT ALL LEVELS IN SOCIETY-INCLUDING POLICIES OF GOVERNMENTS, BUSINESSES, FAMILIES, AND INDIVIDUALS. WE WORK TOWARD HEALTHY, EQUITABLE POLICY FOR THE FUTURE OF OUR CHILDREN, OUR COMMUNITY, AND OUR WORLD, KNOWING THAT WHEN EVERY INDIVIDUAL HAS ACCESS TO OPPORTUNITY, COMMUNITIES FLOURISH.

THE PERIOD PROJECT: IN 2022 WE PROVIDED PERIOD PRODUCTS TO AN ESTIMATED 337,000 UTAH STUDENTS, WITH 1.6 MILLION INDIVIDUAL STUDENTS TO BE IMPACTED BY THE YEAR 2065. WE LED THE PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP TO PASS AND IMPLEMENT A STATE-WIDE POLICY REQUIRING PERIOD PRODUCTS BE PROVIDED IN EVERY UTAH PUBLIC AND CHARTER SCHOOL GIRL AND ALL-GENDER BATHROOM, GRADES K-12. THIS WAS THE FIRST POLICY OF THIS COMPREHENSIVE SCOPE IN THE UNITED STATES. NATIONALLY, 8 OUT OF 10 GIRLS HAVE MISSED SCHOOL OR KNOW SOMEONE WHO HAS BECAUSE OF LACK OF ACCESS TO PERIOD PRODUCTS. NOW, THIS POLICY ALLOWS FOR UTAH GIRLS AND MENSTRUATORS TO STAY IN SCHOOL AND HAVE GREATER ACCESS TO THE CLASSROOM. IN ADDITION TO WORKING TO GET PERIOD PRODUCTS INTO SCHOOLS, WE ALSO WORKED WITH COMMUNITY AND BUSINESS LEADERS TO INCREASE ACCESS TO PERIOD PRODUCTS AT HIGHER EDUCATION CAMPUSES, BUSINESSES & WORKPLACES, SHELTERS & EMERGENCY HOUSING, AND IN THE UTAH CORRECTIONS SYSTEM.

THE TEEN CENTER PROJECT: AN INCREASING NUMBER OF UTAH STUDENTS ARE EXPERIENCING NEED: ONE IN FIFTY UTAH STUDENTS EXPERIENCE HOMELESSNESS AND LACK A FIXED, REGULAR, & ADEQUATE NIGHTTIME RESIDENCEA 34% INCREASE SINCE 2020. ONE IN THREE UTAH STUDENTS ARE ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED AND QUALIFY FOR FREE OR REDUCED LUNCH. ONE IN FOUR UTAH STUDENTS HAS HIGH MENTAL HEALTH NEEDS. IN 2022 WE MET WITH EXPERTS, SERVICE PROVIDERS, AND EDUCATORS FROM EVERY CORNER OF UTAH TO CREATE A VISION FOR A STATE-WIDE SOLUTION TO SUPPORT UTAH STUDENTS: PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP TO FUND "TEEN CENTERS" IN UTAH HIGH SCHOOLS. TEEN CENTERS ARE AN INNOVATIVE, SPACE-BASED SOLUTION THAT CENTRALIZE IMPACTFUL STUDENT SERVICES AND CONCRETE SUPPORTS SUCH AS FOOD PANTRIES, LAUNDRY FACILITIES, SHOWERS AND HYGIENE KITS, AND CONNECTIONS TO EXISTING COMMUNITY RESOURCES. STUDENTS ARE ABLE TO DEVELOP SELF-ADVOCACY SKILLS AND ACCESS THE HELP THEY NEED IN THE TEEN CENTER AND THEN ENTER THE CLASSROOM PREPARED TO LEARN. OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL YEARS WE WILL WORK WITH THE UTAH LEGISLATURE, PRIVATE DONORS, UTAH SCHOOLS, AND 860 COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS TO IMPLEMENT TEEN CENTERS IN SCHOOLS ACROSS THE STATE.

THE POLICY PROJECT: THE OVERARCHING MISSION OF THE POLICY PROJECT IS TO REMOVE BARRIERS TO OPPORTUNITY THROUGH SOLUTION-BASED POLICY AT ALL LEVELS IN SOCIETYINCLUDING POLICIES OF GOVERNMENTS, BUSINESSES, FAMILIES, AND INDIVIDUALS. OUR ORGANIZATION BELIEVES THAT HEALTHY POLICY REQUIRES THE SUPPORT AND ACTION OF A BROAD COALITION OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS. THIS YEAR WE HELD 38 COMMUNITY EVENTS WITH OVER 2,750 ATTENDEES FOCUSED ON EDUCATING COMMUNITY MEMBERS ABOUT HOW POLICY IMPACTS OUR LIVES AND HOW EACH INDIVIDUAL CAN USE THEIR VOICE TO CREATE POSITIVE CHANGE. IN ADDITION, WE LAUNCHED OUR STUDENT AMBASSADOR PROGRAM TO FOSTER SERVICE AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT IN STUDENTS AGES 12-18 AND CREATE FUTURE LEADERS COMFORTABLE WITH THE DEMOCRATIC PROCESS. 506 STUDENTS SIGNED UP TO DEVELOP LEADERSHIP SKILLS, BUILD COMMUNITY THROUGH SERVICE, LEARN ABOUT ADVOCACY AND THE DEMOCRATIC PROCESS, AND ARTICULATE AND DISCUSS ISSUES WITH PEOPLE IN AUTHORITY.