Unsheltered Utah is proud to announce the appointment of Merinda Cutler as Interim Executive Director. Known for her commitment to compassionate service and strategic leadership, Cutler steps into the role at a pivotal moment for the organization and the community it serves.
Founded on grassroots action and empathy, Unsheltered Utah works to meet the immediate needs of unsheltered residents while creating pathways to stability. From distributing survival gear to hosting “Movie Night” warming spaces during harsh weather, the organization has become a lifeline and an advocate for dignity. As the only Code Blue organization in Salt Lake County, Unsheltered Utah activates rapid, life-saving responses during extreme cold, ensuring that as many folks as possible have warmth or shelter in dangerous winter conditions.
This leadership transition comes amid a sharp increase in homelessness across the state, underscoring the urgency for coordinated, creative responses. Cutler steps into the role ready to align Unsheltered Utah’s grassroots agility with larger systems of support, ensuring that resources are deployed where they are most needed.Unsheltered Utah remains steadfast in its mission to help as many unsheltered individuals as possible, ensuring that immediate needs are met with dignity and urgency. This work is strengthened through ongoing consultation with local grassroots organizers and street outreach teams, whose firsthand knowledge helps guide resources where they are most needed. “By listening to and collaborating with those directly engaged on the streets, the organization is able to address the unique challenges faced by marginalized groups it seeks to serve. This helps to shape compassionate, effective solutions,” says Cutler.
About Unsheltered Utah
Unsheltered Utah is a nonprofit organization dedicated to serving the immediate needs of unsheltered individuals across the state. Through direct outreach, community partnerships, and advocacy, the organization bridges emergency relief with long-term solutions, fostering opportunities for stability, employment, and housing. As Salt Lake County’s only Code Blue organization, Unsheltered Utah provides critical, emergency cold-weather interventions to protect the lives of the state’s most vulnerable residents.