Excitement was evident in the eyes of many parents and kids alike as they entered the room at the Park City Mountain Legacy Lodge for the Youth United Super Sunday event.

The celebration brought together participating families, partners and supporters to register kids for extracurriculars and provide information about helpful resources available to them.

Youth United, born from the merger of two former programs — the RISE Fund and the Solomon Fund — is an initiative of the Park City Community Foundation. It helps many kids discover new passions and develop skills by facilitating involvement in sports, recreation, clubs, camps and extracurricular activities, offsetting costs that might otherwise be a barrier.

“The goal of Youth United is to create community, to bring communities together so that all kids can participate,” said Sarah MacCarthy, senior director of equity and impact. “The goal is really around creating greater sense of belonging, making sure that our kids feel like they’ve got a spot.”

“Youth United is for Latina/o/x kids, BIPOC kids, and kids of any background who are navigating any financial constraints. It’s for kids who would like to try something new or develop expertise in a sport or activity. It’s for the hardworking families of our community so they can know their children have opportunities. No one is turned away,” according to their website.

Along with the youth registration opportunities, many organizations were also present to share information about the resources they offer to all members of the community, including health services, immigration services and vision testing, to name a few. Collectively, these organizations, clubs and nonprofits provided everyone with something to learn about and, if desired, an opportunity to join.

Many student volunteers arrived eager to find a place where they could help, whether that meant guiding families around the space, assisting with photos, translating English to Spanish or taking on other various roles.

MacCarthy said that Youth United works closely with student volunteers, who are “the glue that helps this all work.”

One speaker at the Sunday’s event was Stefany Juarrieta, a senior at Park City High School, who started ballet when she was young and was introduced to Youth United when she was in fifth grade. Now she teaches kids dance with Ballet West. 

“I really enjoy what I’ve gotten to do and the most amazing part now is I get to see the children do the exact same thing. Get to know each other and have a beautiful experience learning ballet, but also learn from each other and make new best friends,” said Juarrieta. “Thank you guys very much for being able to support me throughout this. It’s been one of the biggest parts of my life.” 

This year, Youth United were able to support nonprofit partners with a little over $200,000.

“Every year we get over 2,000 registrations to our partner organizations, the result is kids making lifelong connections and doing a ton of fun stuff,” said Joel Zarrow, president and CEO of the Park City Community Foundation. “​​Thank you very much for coming. We’re really glad you’re here. It’s an incredibly important initiative, and it takes all of you to make it happen.”

Anna Frachou, board member of the Park City Community Foundation, emphasized the importance of strengthening community connections. 

“In our vibrant and dynamic community, we often see the incredible potential in our young people. They are future leaders, athletes, innovators and change makers. Yet not all the youth have the same resources they need to fully realize their potential,” said Frachou. “Every donation helps sustain the vital services that young people depend on. … Your investment today is a direct investment in Park City’s future.”

Youth United works with outreach coordinators at each school to spread the word about events, including the Super Sunday registration event, which is held twice per year, the next likely to be held in March.

To learn more about Youth United and the programs it offers, visit the Park City Community Foundation’s website at parkcitycf.org/how-we-work/growing-community-initiatives/youthunited.

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