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When you walk into the Serve Refugees Sharehouse, what you see is stacks of diapers, laundry detergent, dish soap and other essential items waiting to be distributed to refugee families in need around the Salt Lake Valley.
But the job, said Sharehouse manager Kim Swain, is so much more than that.
"I've tried really hard to make the Sharehouse a place where people feel loved and accepted and welcome," she said. "It's so rewarding to see where a refugee starts and where they end up."
The Serve Refugees Sharehouse opened five years ago as a joint venture between the nonprofit Utah Refugee Connection and Granite School District. Originally housed in the gym of Granite High School
- which has since been tom down
- the Sharehouse is now located in two portable classroom buildings at Lincoln Elementary School in South Salt Lake.
Around $1 million worth of in-kind donations are received and distributed by the Sharehouse every year. The Sharehouse operates on a $100,000-a-year budget that covers three part-time staff members, administrative costs and the purchase of any needed items that have not been donated.
Per the Sharehouse's partnership agreement with Granite School District, many of those items are used as incentives for refugees who complete adult education classes through the district.
After completing eight classes, with topics ranging from ESL to computer literacy to parenting, participants can choose one of two kits from the Sharehouse. The Cleaning Kit for Refugees includes items such as sponges, laundry detergent, dish soap and multi-purpose cleaner. The Essentials Kit for Refugees has items such as toothpaste, toothbrushes, toilet paper and razors.
The Serve Refugee Sharehouse collects donated items for these kits all year long, as well as completed kits. Collecting...