Utah News Dispatch
In the giving spirit? Here’s how to donate to some of Utah’s most vulnerable
In this 1961 photo, volunteers and Utah State Hospital workers wrap gifts as part of the Forgotten Patient Christmas Project, a longstanding annual gift drive for patients at the Utah State Hospital in Provo, Utah. (Photo courtesy of the Utah Department of Health and Human Services)
With the arrival of the holiday season, Utah state officials are holding an annual giving drive to gather donations for those who may feel alone — including mental health patients, adults who are wards of the state, and youth in the juvenile justice system.
“This effort helps make sure vulnerable people receive gifts, necessities, and the assurance that someone cares,” the Utah Department of Health and Human Services said in a news release issued Monday.
As part of the giving drive, Department of Health and Human Services staff manage donations, purchase and wrap gifts, and distribute them to those in need.
Here’s a breakdown of how to help:
The Forgotten Patient
The Forgotten Patient Holiday Project is meant to bring holiday cheer to patients at the Utah State Hospital who otherwise may not receive anything due to a lack of family or other difficult circumstances.
The Utah State Hospital, based in Provo, is a state-run psychiatric hospital for people with severe mental illness.
“Being in a hospital over the holidays can be difficult for patients, especially for those without family or loved ones to visit them,” state officials said in Monday’s news release.
The Forgotten Patient Christmas Project has a long history in Utah — having helped hospital patients for more than 60 years, according to the Utah State Hospital’s website. Each year, about 400 volunteers donate their time, money and gifts to make it possible.
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In 2022, 315 patients were sponsored, “and each patient knew that someone was thinking about them during the holiday season,” according to state hospital officials.
For the project, each patient writes a list of what they would like for Christmas, and a sponsor purchases some or all of those items. Some community groups also do service projects to provide stockings filled with candy and personal hygiene items, while others put on musical concerts for the patients.
Those who volunteer as sponsors will receive an information sheet about a person, which includes clothing sizes, hobbies, interests, favorite treats, and other requests. The sheet will also include safety guidelines for those buying gifts.
The gifts will then be delivered to the hospital, where staff will check them for safety concerns before wrapping them and delivering them to patients on Christmas morning.
The state hospital also accepts cash donations if you want to help but aren’t able to sponsor a patient.
To learn more or to volunteer, contact Cami Roundy at camiroundy@utah.gov.
Office of Public Guardian clients
The Utah Office of Public Guardian is a state agency that provides guardianship services to about 250 adults who are unable to make basic life decisions for themselves and have no other family to care for them.
Each holiday season, many people served by the Office of Public Guardian are in need of items like clothing, bedding, and personal care supplies.
The Office of Public Guardian uses donations to give clients a “personalized and positive holiday experience and to make sure they have what they need throughout the rest of the year as well,” state officials said.
The office is accepting donations in the form of cash, checks or gift cards to ensure everyone the office serves receives a gift during the holidays.
Gift cards can be purchased via the office’s Amazon wish list. You can also email utahopg@utah.gov or call 801-538-8255 for more information.
Juvenile Justice and Youth Services
State officials are also holding a gift drive for the Division of Juvenile Justice and Youth Services, which is meant to benefit youth in the juvenile justice system.
The gift drive helps gather personal items, clothing, books, and other gifts for kids in 13 youth centers across the state.
State officials are accepting donations through Amazon wish lists made for each youth center by location. Visit the state’s website to select a wish list by location.
