1 / 5

Parents connect at a local playgroup.

Courtesy United Way of Utah County

2 / 5

A grandpa builds connections with his grandkids.

Courtesy United Way of Utah County

3 / 5

Volunteers help at a United Way Community Center.

Courtesy United Way of Utah County

4 / 5

A volunteer delivers groceries to a neighbor.

Courtesy United Way of Utah County

5 / 5

Bill Hulterstrom, president and CEO of United Way of Utah County

❮ ❯

Every few years, United Way of Utah County leads a community assessment to learn more about how things are going in our community. This assessment helps us identify our community strengths as well as challenges that need additional support to address. This effort, which is undertaken in partnership with exemplary agencies from across the county, is crucial to our community’s well-being.

Our most recent assessment was completed in collaboration with Community Action Services and Food Bank, Kids on the Move, Early Learning Essentials, Provo City Housing Authority, The Refuge Utah, Utah Community Credit Union and Wasatch Behavior Health.

As I reviewed the data from this year’s assessment, I was struck by how the much Utah County is changing. Although many of our core attributes — including strong families, healthy and educated community members, and low crime — remain strong, we have found that many families are struggling in new ways.

There are so many businesses, organizations, schools and government officials who prioritize the needs of community members and work hard to make life better for everyone. Additionally, there is more that each of us can do in our own neighborhoods.

Emotional well-being of children and youth is something that needs increased attention. In Utah County, 30.3% of adolescents responding to the biennial Student Health and Risk Prevention (SHARP) survey in 2023 reported that they felt so sad or hopeless almost every day for two weeks or more in a row that they stopped doing some usual activities. Sadly, 35.3% of grade 12 students and 23.4% of grade six students reported this effect in their lives. Nearly 20 percent say that in the past seven days, they have “always” or “often” felt left out or felt isolated from others; 20.2% say they have felt people barely know them during the same seven-day period.

The SHARP study concludes that in Utah County, 9.3% of all adolescents have high depressive symptoms, and 22.4% have no depressive symptoms.

While it may seem daunting to try to address such a multifaceted challenge, the good news is that there are also simple things we can all do to support each other’s resilience. Taking time for real connection and creating places of physical and emotional safety for our youth are simple acts that have immense benefits.

Of course, connection isn’t just beneficial for youth. Although more than four out of 10 adults report that they would miss their neighborhood if they were required to move, there are other indicators that adult neighborhood attachments aren’t always strong.

So what is neighborhood attachment? Simply speaking, it’s the emotional connection to physical and social environments. That emotional connection helps us strengthen our relationships to the people around us. When parents, friends and neighbors come together to build a network of support in our neighborhoods, everyone benefits from those relationships.

Research has shown that increased neighborhood attachment leads to decreases in crime and increases in income, health outcomes and life satisfaction. The benefits for youth are even more significant; for them, increased neighborhood attachment increases their emotional intelligence, sense of personal responsibility and academic motivation.

Growth is seen everywhere throughout the county, which leads to the need to address public infrastructure systems, traffic congestion and housing-related costs. But it also gives us the opportunity to make new connections and strengthen the fabric of our community.

By taking the time to get to know each other and really connect with our neighbors, we will be able to strengthen our community networks and increase the quality of life for all of us. Strong communities are built on the foundation of strong relationships. By strengthening our relationships today, we can lay the foundation for vibrant communities for years to come.

As our community prepares for unprecedented growth in the next few decades, it is imperative that we take time today to teach our children, support our youth and strengthen our neighborhoods. Together, we can prepare for a bright future for generations to come.

To learn more about the community assessment and how you can support the future success of Utah County, please visit unitedwayuc.org.

Bill Hulterstrom is president and CEO of United Way of Utah County.