Monthly Newsletter - March 2024
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Executive Director's Corner
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The month of March has been a great one for me, professionally and personally, because it gave me the opportunity to get out into the community and in the homes of our homebound seniors as part of our March for Meals. It was heartwarming to visit with our seniors and the volunteers who work so hard to serve them.
I'd like to thank our elected officials (Over 25 mayors, commissioners, and state legislators!) who donated their lunch breaks to help deliver meals in Utah, Summit, and Wasatch counties. Without the attention of these leaders, our Meals on Wheels program would not have the funding it needs to continue.
While March for Meals provided an incredible opportunity to celebrate our efforts, it also sheds light on the growing need within our community and the financial strain required to meet it. I'm pleased to share that thanks to the support of our Legislature, a statewide $2.4 million one-time appropriation was approved for the program. Our region will receive approximately $400,000 from that appropriation. However, despite this significant contribution, we still face a shortfall and a growing waitlist.
To bridge this funding gap, MAG has taken a proactive step by establishing a Meals on Wheels nonprofit dedicated to serving our three counties. Your contributions will make a meaningful impact on the lives of our homebound seniors. To donate, please visit magutah.org/donate.
Thank you for taking a look at our monthly newsletter and please let us know if we can add any of your colleagues or friends to our distribution list!
-Michelle Carroll, MPA
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Utah Elder Justice Conference
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Discover strategies for older adults to prevent elder abuse at the 2024 Utah Elder Justice Conference, happening virtually on April 25 from 1-5 p.m. Join experts to learn how fostering vital connections is key to prevention. Emily Allen, Senior Vice President of Programs at AARP Foundation, will give the keynote address.
This event is free and welcomes older adults and their family members, professionals and interested community members. The conference is brought to you by Utah Association of Area Agencies on Aging (U4A), of which MAG Aging & Family Services is a member.
For questions or help registering, call 801-229-3808.
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This month, more than 25 elected officials donated their lunch breaks to deliver Meals on Wheels as part of the annual March for Meals celebration. March for Meals invites our elected officials to become "boots on the ground" and get an up close, personal look at how and who we serve.
This event brings much needed awareness to the program which serves more than 500 meals to homebound seniors each weekday in Utah, Summit, and Wasatch counties. Volunteers form the backbone of MAG's Meals on Wheels program, with more than 65% of the meals delivered by volunteers. Our 350 volunteers don't only deliver a meal, in many cases they provide crucial human contact for those who may otherwise be quite isolated.
Meals on Wheels, locally administered by Mountainland Association of Governments (MAG), relies heavily on the support of our local and state governments for funding and awareness. Due to funding strains and increased demand, a waiting list was enacted for the first time in 10 years in January 2022. There are currently nearly 130 people on the waiting list to receive meals.
The annual March for Meals celebration commemorates the historic day in March of 1972 when President Nixon signed into law a measure that amended the Older Americans Act of 1965 to include a national nutrition program for seniors 60 or older. Since 2002, community-based Meals on Wheels programs from across the country have joined forces for the annual awareness campaign to celebrate the successful public-private partnership and garner the support needed to fill the gap between the seniors served and those still in need.
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Celebrating 50 years of CDBG, we are excited to announce that the Children’s Justice Center will open their newly renovated home in American Fork this April. As a Utah County CDBG recipient, the center currently serves approximately 350 child victims in North Utah County (800 victims for the whole county). This 1871 home has been meticulously renovated to provide a comfortable environment for victims and their families with a spacious front room, a full kitchen, two conference rooms, two interview rooms, and a medical exam room. Services at the new center will include forensic interviews, crisis intervention, resources and referrals for supportive caregivers, the Care Process Model traumatic stress and suicide screenings, and forensic medical exams. The public is invited to an open house April 27th at 11:00 am.
Children’s Justice centers are located in Provo at 315 S 100 E Provo and American Fork at 96 S 100 E. Phone number: 801-851-8554 or email Heather Allen at cjc@utahcounty.gov
Did you know? Celebrating 50 years-- CDBG funding was enacted by Congress in 1974 under the Housing and Community Development Act and signed into law by President Gerald Ford. CDBG provides necessary funding to communities across the country to address infrastructure, economic development, housing, public services, and other community needs.
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Utah Transit Authority (UTA) Board of Trustees Adopts a New Long-Range Transit Plan, UTA Moves 2050
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To meet the growing public transportation demands of the Wasatch Front during the next 30 years, UTA has created their first Long-Range Transit Plan, UTA Moves 2050. The plan outlines transit services that are more frequent, reliable, accessible, and effective as a way to achieve sustainable growth and a better quality of life.
Transit priorities and phasing recommended in the plan are the result of many sources of data and collaboration between UTA and UDOT, MAG, and WFRC, as well as the local communities along the Wasatch Front. As such, the plan considers other long range regional transportation plans like MAG's 2023 TransPlan50 as well as financial assessments, population growth and development forecasts, and feedback from public meetings and listening sessions.
The plan recommends four core strategies:
- Maintain the current system and infrastructure.
- Enhance the system to be faster, more reliable, easier to navigate and more responsive.
- Expand the frequency of service, including 15-minute or better on many bus and rail services.
- Serve and expand in growth areas to support transit-oriented communities and developments.
The plan also supports larger UTA goals, such as making transit service available within one-half mile of 70% of the population in its service area. "UTA is excited to release the new Long Range Transit Plan," said UTA Trustee Jeff Acerson, "as well as partnering with MAG and WFRC on the Transit Fresh Look study which will help us plan transportation in our fast growing cities." For more information about UTA Moves 2050, visit the RideUTA LRTP webpage.
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New Funding to Local Governments through MAG's TAG Program
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MAG, in coordination with UTA and UDOT, is thrilled to announce that seven new projects have been awarded technical assistance for Cycle II of the TAG Program. Over $950,000 in awards were made, with over $200,000 in local match contributions. Awards will be used for plans and studies that integrate transportation and land use. Each project is unique to the community and its respective growth challenges and opportunities.
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Visit the TAG Program webpage at mountainland.org/tag for project descriptions and additional program information.
For additional TAG Program information, contact Daniel Wayne, Community Planning Manager at dwayne@mountainland.org or 801-229-3824.
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Updating the Wasatch Choice Centers for Utah County
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Data from the 2020 Census and forecasts from Utah's Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute confirm what we in Utah, specifically Utah County, already know, that Utah is growing rapidly. Utah County continues to be one of the fastest growing counties in the State and Utah has been or is one of the fastest growing states in the nation over the past decade. With growth comes growth pressures. Addressing traffic congestion, transit access, housing accessibility and affordability, open space crowding, and other concerns is a key focus of our State's leaders, local government leaders, and regional organizations like MAG. The Wasatch Choice Vision provides a blueprint for growth and development along the Wasatch Front.
The Vision is a shared regional vision that coordinates the planning of transportation, land use, economic opportunity, and parks and public spaces to maintain and enhance our quality of life. It was created for the two metropolitan planning organizations in the Wasatch Front region which extends from southern Box Elder County south to Utah County. It was released in 2016 in partnership with MAG, WFRC, UDOT, UTA, municipalities, counties, ULCT, UAC, the Chambers of Commerce, and other interested stakeholders. But, for the local governments and key partners and stakeholders in Utah County, the Vision needs a refresh.
MAG is currently soliciting Requests For Proposals to update the Wasatch Choice Vision (Vision) for Utah County. Once a consultant is in place, we will seek your involvement and engagement in the refresh of the Vision for Utah County. We need your help to plan for and proactively manage growth so we can maximize the benefits of growth while also minimizing the negative impacts.
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MAG Seeks to Hire a Consultant to Assess the Organizational Structure of the Metropolitan Planning Organization
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The MAG Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) is soliciting proposals from qualified consultants to enhance its organizational effectiveness by conducting a comprehensive organizational assessment. MAG aims to evaluate things like roles and responsibilities, staffing, program delivery, and structure through this assessment as a way to remain innovative, effective, and efficient. The insights gained will enable us to optimize service delivery, ensure alignment with our mission, vision, and goals, and adhere to contemporary best practices in metropolitan planning. Please check out the MPO Organizational Assessment Request for Proposals to learn more.
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For questions, concerns, or comments contact Johnathon Knapton, MAG Communications Manager, at jknapton@magutah.org or (801)229-3836
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