ST. GEORGE — Switchpoint is all about changing trajectories.
Since 2014, the community resource center for the homeless in St. George has expanded both its service to and its impact upon the homeless population in the city.
The organization held a VIP fundraiser breakfast Tuesday morning at the Dixie Convention Center and celebrated its nine years of existence.
“We had about 12,000 people come through our shelter in that time period,” executive director Carol Hollowell told St. George News.
In 2022 alone, she said 446 Switchpoint clients transitioned into affordable housing.
“So that to us is the success barometer. It’s not about how many people come into the shelter, but how many stay housed,” Hollowell said. “For us, that’s a really successful number.”
She added that Switchpoint’s battle against homelessness is about more than mere statistics.
“I think even bigger than that is, how are we changing their lives permanently?” Hollowell said. “Is that through work? Not just housing but — can we give them purpose?”
Several former Switchpoint clients have gone on to obtain local employment with the organization.
“That’s what our businesses are for. We hire a lot of our clients,” Hollowell said. “And now they have a job where they are accepted. So that to us is real success, when we can say you’re part of the team.”
The resource center is funded by a variety of local businesses.
There’s Bed ‘N’ Biscuits, a 24/7 dog and cat daycare facility; Stepping Stones, a 24/7 childcare facility; two thrift stores; affordable housing at the Point; the Switchpoint Garden and the Switchpoint Coffeeshop.
These and other enterprises make up by far the bulk of Switchpoint’s funding, at 48%.
Government grants and other grants comprise 33% of its funding and donations account for 19% of the rest of Switchpoint’s funding.
A word heard frequently during the breakfast was “sustainability.” Switchpoint officials hope one day to be economically self-sufficient to the point of ending its reliance on government grants.
“We will always need some kind of assistance when we have big capital expenses, like buying a hotel,” Hollowell said. “When you’re looking at a $13 million purchase to house 100 people, that’s pretty hard to do on a thrift store income, right?”
“But operation-wise, I think we can get in the next few years to 100% self-sustainability,” she added.
Also speaking at the breakfast event were Bill Cox and Ray Cox. Originally from Las Vegas, the Cox brothers are part of ERA Real Estate Brokers and have been in St. George for over 20 years.
Along with an anonymous donor, the Cox’s contributed a matching fund of $150,000 to the breakfast fundraiser, giving Switchpoint’s effort to raise $350,000 at the event a shot in the arm.
“That’s what Switchpoint does, it helps people get on the right trajectory,” Bill Cox said.
“We’re grateful to have a small contribution to the organization,” he added, “but we’re really grateful for the board (of directors), who sees people for who they really are and helps them step out of poverty and into self-sustainability, and into a healthy, happy long life.”
Photo Gallery
Switchpoint's community resource center, here in a file photo, will expand this Fall to feature 16 family rooms and a community kitchen, St. George, Utah, Oct. 24, 2023 | Photo by Mori Kessler, St. George News
Ray Cox (center) addresses the Switchpoint breakfast fundraiser at Dixie Convention Center, St. George, Utah, Oct. 24, 2023 | Photo by E. George Goold, St. George News
Switchpoint's mission statement displayed at the breakfast fundraiser at Dixie Convention Center, St. George, Utah, Oct. 24, 2023 | Photo by E. George Goold, St. George News
Executive director Carol Hollowell addresses the Switchpoint breakfast fundraiser at Dixie Convention Center, St. George, Utah, Oct. 24, 2023 | Photo by E. George Goold, St. George News
Development director Linda Stay addresses the Switchpoint breakfast fundraiser at Dixie Convention Center, St. George, Utah, Oct. 24, 2023 | Photo by E. George Goold, St. George News
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