Homeless

SALT LAKE CITY -- Officials say there's a downturn in the number of homeless Utahns.

OGDEN — A fundraiser for the Humane Society and St. Anne’s Center is scheduled from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. April 6 at Golden Hours Senior Center, 650 25th St., Ogden.

OGDEN — After the death of two men on Wall Avenue near St. Anne’s Center in Ogden, the area’s homeless population hopes something will be done to make crossing the street there safer.

“The cars don’t want to stop,” Anthony Gallegos said, noting many vehicles move too fast to slow down. “They need to put a crosswalk there.”

Gallegos and a number of homeless patrons of the shelter, at 137 W. Binford St., recently discussed their difficulties trying to cross Wall Avenue.

Ideas to improve the area include a proper crosswalk, better lighting and a pedestrian bridge.

SALT LAKE CITY -- The Utah House has approved a bill that would give companies a tax credit for employing a homeless person.

OGDEN — Cai Noble is happy with her life, but it hasn’t always been that way. Noble is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She’s also gay.

When she revealed her sexuality to her adoptive family, they were kind and loving toward her. However, there was also increased stress in the home, so she decided to move out. That’s when she became homeless. “When I came out, we didn’t have any adequate resources to help us to get through the issue as a family,” Noble said. “My family didn’t kick me out of the house, but it was causing some distress, so I decided to leave. I was 17 years old, and I didn’t know what I was getting myself into by becoming homeless.”

Noble said being homeless was a traumatizing experience and something she is trying to prevent from happening to other youths.

SALT LAKE CITY — An annual nationwide census shows the number of homeless people in Utah has climbed 13 percent between 2011 and 2012.

HARRISVILLE — Heather Butler reflected on the comforts of her home as she hunkered down inside an empty dishwasher box.

The 15-year-old Girl Scout was preparing herself for a Friday night out in the cold so she could experience some of what it would be like to be homeless.

“We don’t realize how lucky we really are,” she said. “So many people complain because they don’t have all the new fancy items for their house, but there are people out there who don’t even have a house.”