Gail Miller of the Larry H. Miller family has offered a $10 million challenge grant to support homeless services in Utah. The money will be presented to Shelter The Homeless, which will oversee Salt Lake County’s three new homeless resources centers that will open in the next two years.
Miller cried during a press conference Thursday morning as she called on members of the community to contribute to the dollar-for-dollar match.
“We hope that all of those who are within hearing of this announcement and have the ability will contribute to the cause,” Miller said. “And come together and make a serious difference in supporting this effort and these new resource centers as they come to life.”
The money will help pay for programming costs like education and job training at the new shelters.
Harris Simmons is president of Shelter The Homeless and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Zions Bank. He says people can continue to donate to the cause beyond the life of the challenge grant-noting private donations will pay for the lion’s share of services at these new shelters.