First lady’s service fair aims to ‘match’ volunteers with nonprofit organizations

LEHI — Natalie Dalley said it just warmed her heart seeing so many mothers bring their children to a service-oriented fair.

“I just love to see these moms here teaching their kids that there is something outside of themselves and that they can serve and give back to society,” Dalley said.

Dalley manages Five12 Foundation, an organization dedicated to providing weekend food bags for elementary children who are food insecure. People who walked by her booth Monday night were encouraged to help pack a food bag that the organization will give to children over the summer.

Hundreds of people showed up to the third annual Summer Service Fair at Thanksgiving Point in Lehi, where they learned from local groups about how to get involved in the community.

Families mingled around the more than 60 booths of nonprofits based on family services, health organizations, community charities, mental health resources, education foundations and more. Some of the booths had service opportunities available Monday while others had volunteer sign-ups for future activities.

The event also had food trucks, face painting, blow-up slides and giveaways of donated prizes and nonprofit organizations’ swag for those who filled out a punchcard by signing up for service activities.

Utah’s first lady Abby Cox started the fair two years ago as part of her Show Up service initiative. She said as she traveled around the state, she noticed families were wanting to get involved in helping the community but didn’t know how, and nonprofit organizations were in need of helpers.

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