A holiday partnership between the Summit County Health Department and the Park City Rotary Club brought gifts and essential equipment to dozens of local families with young children facing developmental challenges.
Through a project called Gifts of Love, the Park City Rotary Club provided personalized holiday support to 54 families enrolled in the Summit County Early Intervention Program, which serves children ages 0 to 3 in Summit and Wasatch counties.
The effort focused on low-income families whose children have been referred to the program due to developmental delays, disabilities or medical concerns.
Each child received a book, a developmentally appropriate toy or piece of equipment and a clothing item such as boots, shoes or a winter coat, said Jackie Swan, director of the Early Intervention Program at the Summit County Health Department.
In addition, 40 families will receive prepared holiday meals next week, funded by the Rotary Club and prepared by local chef Deanna Berry of DeeLicious Park City.
The project was designed to meet both practical and developmental needs while easing some of the financial stress families often face during the holidays, said Swan.
She noted that many families in the program need extra support as they navigate frequent medical appointments, therapy, added medical expenses and uncertainty about their child’s development.
One participating family said that support has a huge impact: “We have been tight on money this year and they gifted my kids Christmas presents! It means the world to us!!”
The Early Intervention Program is one of 14 programs statewide and provides in-home services such as occupational, physical and speech therapy. Services are tailored to each child after an assessment and goal-setting process with families and continue until the child turns 3 or meets developmental milestones. Costs are based on income, and families whose children qualify for Medicaid receive services at no cost.
Families are typically referred through routine pediatric visits, where developmental milestones are reviewed and additional evaluation is recommended when concerns arise.
Swan said the program is designed to reach children early by providing therapy services in the home, bringing equipment when needed and trying to reduce barriers for families.
The holiday project began earlier this year after Rotary members expressed interest in supporting the program. Swan worked with Rotary volunteers to create a detailed list of children’s needs, which was then distributed among club members.
Rotarians selected items through a sign-up system, shopped for gifts, wrapped them at a club-hosted wrapping party and delivered everything to the health department for distribution. To comply with privacy laws, only health department staff delivered the gifts directly to families, Swan said.
“It’s really nice to see families be able to get stuff that they really need,” she said. “It’s amazing that the Rotary Club stepped up to do it.”
Julianne Carone, director of community service for the Park City Rotary Club, said the project reflected a shift toward deeper, hands-on involvement for club members.
“In the past, we partnered with organizations where it was more just giving cash and gifts,” Carone said.
This year, she said, members wanted to be more involved in the process. Shopping for gifts, wrapping those items and dropping them off to be distributed to families offered more of a hands-on opportunity.
Plus, literacy plays a central role in the project, aligning with Rotary’s long-standing commitment to education. Every child received a book, a requirement the club felt strongly about, Carone said.
“Our club has supported literacy in Park City for more than 30 years,” she said. “Making sure every child received a book was non-negotiable.”
The Rotary Club raised additional funds to provide holiday meals, ultimately partnering with chef Berry to make it happen.
“Deanna was all in from the very beginning,” Carone said. “She and her team have been incredible, and there’s no way we could have done this without her.”
Berry is not a Rotary member, but still committed to volunteering her time and resources to prepare the meals. Rotary members will deliver those meals through the health department next week.
Swan said the response from families has been overwhelmingly positive since the gifts were delivered.
“They were so thankful,” she said. “One parent told us they didn’t have much money this year, and being able to receive gifts made a huge difference for their family.”
Beyond the holiday season, Swan said the Early Intervention Program works with community partners throughout the year. She said families who have been enrolled in the program often donate toys and equipment their children have outgrown, which staff redistribute to other families. Swan also pointed to partnerships with groups such as the Christian Center of Park City and Restore Utah to help meet ongoing needs.
Swan said it was the first large-scale holiday project of its kind for the Early Intervention Program and that she would love to see the partnership continue, adding that the program is open to other organizations getting involved.
Carone said the success of Gifts of Love has already reshaped how Rotary members view community service.
“This helped people feel connected,” Carone said. “Our members wanted to be involved, and they were excited to be part of the project.”
Families interested in Early Intervention services can find referral information at summitcountyhealth.org/early-intervention.