Where Giving Lifts Us All
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2024-2025
ANNUAL REPORT
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What an incredible year we had! We began the year as Assistance League® of Salt Lake City, just as we have for the past 48 years. But in October 2024, everything changed. Our membership voted unanimously to part ways with National Assistance League and launch our own identity as a truly local nonprofit: Uplift Community Alliance. No longer one of many—we are now one of a kind in our community. Our motto, “New Name, Same People, Same Mission,” helped communicate the transition to the public, and the outpouring of support was overwhelming. Our new logo and colors reflect our continued mission to uplift both the community and ourselves through service rooted in compassion and purpose. Although our name has changed, we will never forget the courageous women who founded this organization in 1974. We proudly stand on their shoulders and honor their legacy through the work we do today. In fiscal year 2024–2025, our volunteers donated over 40,000 hours to rebrand our organization, sustain the programs that are the heart of our mission, and strengthen our fundraising arm—Uplift Thrift. We served 27,500 people with our programs—from infants to seniors—and brought joy to countless shoppers as “the best thrift store in Salt Lake City.” I am continually inspired by the talents and dedication of our members. With my background in retail, I know firsthand how challenging it is to balance marketing, operations, and finance to run a successful business. Yet we do it every day—with 250 volunteers, just three employees, and a host of supportive donors. Together, we are making a powerful difference.
OUR MISSION
Awarded November Business of the Month by Millcreek Business Council.
Uplift Community Alliance is a nonprofit organization whose volunteers serve to improve the lives of children and adults in our community through our service- oriented philanthropic programs.
NEW NAME SAME PEOPLE SAME MISSION
A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT
Elizabeth Quealy President, 2024-25
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UPLIFT ASSOCIATES
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Studies show that children perform better in school when they’re proud of how they look. The mission of Uplift School Kids is to help build students’ self-esteem and improve their school experience overall by providing them with new clothes. School counselors at Title I schools identify elementary students in need and our volunteers assemble an individualized bag of new clothing for each student that includes: a warm winter jacket; a hooded, zippered sweatshirt; a pair of leggings, joggers, or jeans; two shirts, six pairs of underwear and socks; and a dental hygiene kit. Middle school students are given the opportunity to choose their own school clothes and shoes at select retailers with the help of Uplift Community Alliance volunteers. Middle school students also receive hygiene kits.
BRIGHTER TOMORROWS
595 Uplift Comfort Kits 1,290 Baby Bundles 1,627 cleaning supplies, baby strollers and car seats to Utah Refugee Connection 1,200 backpacks with dog food and 800 ponchos to the Weigand Resource Center
Adults face many challenges when striving for a more secure life for themselves and their families. Appearance is one of those challenges. “Looking the part” boosts confidence when applying for or beginning a job or continuing their education. Brighter Tomorrows helps these determined individuals get ready for their next step. Clients referred to Uplift Community Alliance by local agencies receive a voucher to shop at Uplift Thrift to select clothes for job interviews, job dress requirements, courses or training. Brighter Tomorrows also provides personal items and professional hair care to complete the look.
SERVICE
UPLIFT SCHOOL KIDS
CONFIDENCE
Uplift Associates offers a flexible opportunity for giving community service with evening program activities and meetings. Here are some of the items our Associates provided to the community in 2024-25:
Uplift Community Alliance created the Educational Scholarship Program in 2023 to support students with demonstrated financial need who wish to attend college. Preference is given to non-traditional students: single parents or children of a single parent, those who have experienced homelessness, migrants, or first in their family to attend college. Uplift Community Alliance collaborates through agreements with Salt Lake Community College and the University of Utah to award these scholarships. Scholarship funds may be used for in-state tuition, fees, books, or other educational supplies.
EDUCATIONAL SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM
A good book can inspire a love of reading and help build reading competency. A good book can also encourage curiosity and interest in the world. Uplift Community Alliance provides a new book to thousands of young readers, pre-K through middle school. Sometimes, the book provided by Uplift Community Alliance is the only book in a student’s home.
BOOK BANK
The talented musical entertainers in Act III Uplift Band awaken unforgettable moments from a senior’s life through familiar songs. Hundreds of seniors in dozens of care centers in our community enjoy the music, engage with the band and each other, and often sing along. Patriotic songs and show tunes, as well as holiday and classic songs, uplift the seniors and add a little fun to their day.
Uplift Comfort Kits were created to meet some of the immediate needs of those victimized by sexual violence. After an attack, a victim’s clothing is taken by authorities as evidence. After their physical exam, the victim receives an Uplift Comfort Kit that contains new comfortable clothing, undergarments and personal hygiene products, offering dignity, comfort and hope at a very traumatic time.
UPLIFT COMFORT KITS
EYE ON THE COMMUNITY
HEALTH
Mouth and tooth pain are among the top reasons kids miss school. Tooth decay is the most common chronic disease of childhood. Left untreated, a child may suffer pain, problems eating and speaking, serious infection, unwillingness to play, and inability to concentrate and learn. Operation Healthy Teeth provides a lifeline to low-income families by funding urgent dental treatment for children in our community aged pre-K through 19 who have no other access to dental care. This includes families not covered under any state or federal assistance program and those whose families do not earn enough to purchase insurance.
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Uplift Teens provides volunteer opportunities for teens in grades 7-12 and has a current membership of approximately 25-30 teens representing over 10 schools across the Salt Lake Valley. In 2024-25, our teens provided: 250 backpacks of school supplies to Head Start 150 hygiene kits for Uplift School Kids Old Navy shopping program 100 turkey dinner baskets for the Road Home/Palmer House 100 holiday stockings for the Road Home homeless shelter 1,000 weekend food kits for Olene Walker Elementary 200 duffle bags filled with hygiene items for the Rescue Mission 130 bunny baskets for the YWCA and Family Support Center
Uplift Community Alliance’s Baby Bundles program reaches the tiniest, most vulnerable of those in need. The Baby Bundles contain blankets, clothing, diapers and other essentials to give newborns a warm welcome into the world. Social workers and nurses in the delivery rooms and nurseries distribute the Baby Bundles to newborns in need.
BABY BUNDLES
Eye on the Community addresses important community needs that are unmet through our other philanthropic programs. Uplift Community Alliance endeavors to fulfill “wish list” needs based on each year’s giving capacity. The focus is on gifts that help support students, schools, care facilities, those with disabilities and others.
ACT III UPLIFT BAND
UPLIFT TEENS
OPERATION HEALTHY TEETH
Thrift Shop - 14.4% Special Events - 0.2% Management and General - 3.6% Membership Development - 0.7%
EXPENSES: $1,525,598
Return on Investment + Other
Grants and Donations
2024-2025 LEADERSHIP
4.0%
Special Events
Membership
$1,011,028
2024-2025 SUMMARY
$62,232
PROGRAM FUNDING
7.5%
0.9%
OVER 86 CENTS OF EVERY DOLLAR SPENT WAS GIVEN BACK TO OUR COMMUNITY THROUGH OUR PHILANTHROPIC PROGRAMS
$118,076
BOARD OF DIRECTORS President: Liz Quealy President-Elect: Carrie Drown First Vice President Philanthropic Programs: Merilynn Kessi Second Vice President Community Relations: MaryAnn Mackley Third Vice President Member Services: Linda Stimpson Recording Secretary: Billie Tolman Treasurer: Peggy Carpenter Bylaws Chair: Val Mercer Strategic Planning Chair: Heidi Makowski Technology Chair: Ann Staples Uplift Thrift: Susan Erickson Uplift Teens Auxiliary Liaison: Barbara Slater Associates Chair: Debbie Smith Parliamentarian: Carol Coulter ASSOCIATES GOVERNING BODY Associates Chair: Debbie Smith Associates Chair-Elect: Elizabeth Hendricks Vice Chair, Philanthropic Programs: Merilynn Kessi Vice Chair, Member Services: Emily Rushton Chair, Resource Development: Tiffany Hall Vice Chairs, Resource Development: Maureen Casper, Joni Dahle, Tristen McDonald Secretary: Marisa Jenny Policies Chair: Ramona Rudert Marketing Communications Chair: Launnee Symes
$360,756
ENDING NET ASSETS $2,928,125
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Uplift School Kids - 35% Operation Healthy Teeth - 17.8% Educational Scholarships - 9.2% Eye on the Community - 7.0% Baby Bundles - 3.4% Brighter Tomorrows - 3.3% Book Bank - 2.3% Uplift Teens - 1.7% Uplift Comfort Kits - 1.3% Act III Uplift Band - 0.1%
64.6%
OPERATIONS
$13,694
INCOME: $1,565,786
23.0%
Uplift Thrift
FINANCIAL SUPPORT, GOODS AND SERVICES, $1,000 OR MORE
GIVING AND GRATITUDE
Rodney and Carolyn Brady Charitable Foundation Taylor Derrick Capital Randy Christiansen Cottonwood Country Club Carol and Dave Coulter Paul Cunningham Dan and Martina Devenport Carrie and Randy Drown Grapevine Giving Fund Jami Hansen Tim and Amy Haran Janet and Hugh Harnsberger John Hobbs Bryce Johnson RW & BJ Keener Foundation Kathryn and Benny King Kathleen and Paul Littlefield Kathy Mackie Diane and Jim Mackin Phyllis Man Tristen McDonald Valerie Mercer Craig L. Neibuhr, CN Insurance Associates, Inc. J. Steven Newton, Business Law Associates Rick Noyes, The ND Group Connie Overly Alisa and Stephen Parks Gary and Kathryn Peterson Susan Plautz Liz Quealy R4J Investments Linda Stimpson Grady Tibboel and Lara Butts Shari Troester University Impact Martin A. Watkins, True North Wealth John and Debra Wilkerson
100 Women Who Care 3M Corporation American Express The Archer Family Charitable Corporation Ashton Family Foundation Ruth Eleanor Bamberger and John Ernest Bamberger Memorial Foundation HJ & BR Barlow Foundation R. Harold Burton Foundation Jeffrey and Helen Cardon Foundation Community Foundation of Greater Richmond, VA Lawrence T. and Janet T. Dee Foundation George S. and Dolores Dore Eccles Foundation Marriner S. Eccles Foundation Enbridge Gas Eskuche Foundation Gervasio Family Gift Fund Florence J. Gillmor Foundation Richard K. and Shirley S. Hemingway Foundation Intermountain Healthcare IPA Foundation Kennecott Utah Copper Charitable Foundation Michael & Ina Korek Foundation Trust John and Dora Lang Charitable Foundation Linde Corporation Masonic Foundation of Utah McCarthey Family Foundation Merrick Bank Corporation Herbert I. and Elsa B. Michael Foundation MLD Old Navy Market Group Bruce and Cecelia Petersen Foundation Rocky Mountain Power Foundation Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation Sorenson Legacy Foundation Synchrony Financial Target Corporation C. Scott and Dorothy E. Watkins Charitable Foundation Williams Companies
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FOUNDATION AND CORPORATE DONORS
UPLIFT OFFICES & PROGRAMS Address: 2060 East 3300 South Millcreek, UT 84109 Phone number: (801) 484-3401
UPLIFT THRIFT Address: 2090 East 3300 South Millcreek, UT 84109 Shop: Tuesday - Saturday 12-4pm Thursday 12-7pm Donate: Tuesday - Saturday 12-3pm
Uplift Community Alliance
Uplift Thrift generates a large portion of the funding for our philanthropic programs. We served over 27,000 individuals locally this year!
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upliftcommunityalliance
Uplift Community Alliance is a volunteer-driven 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization serving our community for over 50 years.
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