Community members and Christian Center of Park City volunteers tend to the Goshute Reservation’s greenhouse as part of an ongoing effort to strengthen local food sovereignty. The garden relocation project will move the structures closer to housing and the powwow grounds, creating easier access and a shared space for growing and gathering. Photo: Christian Center of Park City

PARK CITY, Utah — For 13 years, the Christian Center of Park City (CCPC) has nurtured a strong partnership with the Confederated Tribes of the Goshute Reservation—a collaboration grounded in respect, consistency, and active listening.

The relationship began over a decade ago when CCPC volunteers delivered water to the Diné (Navajo) tribe along the Utah-Arizona border. Through that outreach, they connected with the Goshute people, discovering their community was even more underserved. From there, a relationship developed—one based not on charity, but on shared trust and long-term commitment.

“It really started with listening,” said Lisa Griffeth, programs manager at CCPC. “We’ve learned over the years that trust takes time, and consistency is everything. You have to show up, follow through on your commitments, and listen to what they actually need instead of imposing your own ideas.”

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Each month, CCPC volunteers make the three-and-a-half-hour trip to the reservation, located about an hour south of Wendover, to deliver fresh food and essential supplies. With funding from American Express and Ally Bank, the team helps stock the tribe’s food pantry with both staples and fresh produce.

“We work with American Express, and they partner with us to provide fresh fruit and vegetables for the tribe,” Griffeth explained. “The LDS Food Bank supplies staples like rice, beans, and corn, and we bring items they wouldn’t normally be able to get—lean meats, milk, eggs, and fresh produce.”

In addition to food, CCPC supports the tribe through several annual programs. The Goshute community participates in “Back to School Basics,” which provides children with clothing, backpacks, and school supplies. During the holidays, “Operation Hope” ensures families receive gifts and Thanksgiving turkeys. In collaboration with Park City Mountain and SOS Outreach, CCPC also hosts a ski day for Goshute children and their families, which includes lodging, meals, and lift passes.

“We want to create a holistic experience where they are not only receiving support but also making memories,” Griffeth said. “It’s about connection and dignity.”

The organization’s long-term efforts also involve significant infrastructure projects, such as relocating a community garden and restoring spring heads, both of which enhance the community’s food sovereignty and access to clean water.

“Several years ago, we helped establish the community garden from scratch,” Griffeth noted. “We provided the infrastructure, solar panels for the water pump, and about 10,000 feet of drip tape. Now we’re relocating the garden near the powwow grounds to be closer to housing and water sources, making it a better spot for gathering and growing.”

Before focusing on the garden project, CCPC volunteers assisted with repairs to the reservation’s natural spring heads, which supply drinking water to the community. The tribe faced issues with water contamination and infrastructure collapse caused by livestock and wild mustangs.

“Over the years, we’ve completed three of the seven spring head repairs,” Griffeth said. “When the tribal council asked us to pause that work to relocate the garden, we complied. It demonstrates our flexibility and respect for their priorities.”

This mutual respect has fostered lasting bonds and unique moments of cultural exchange. Griffeth recounted a day when Clell Pete, a tribal elder in his 80s, joined CCPC volunteers at the spring head site alongside Marjle Hooper and her three children.

“As we worked to build a fence to keep animals out, Clell began sharing stories about legends passed down through generations, as well as the wild carrots, serviceberries, and plums that grow on their land,” Griffeth recalled. “It’s not something he usually shares; his openness was a sign of gratitude.”

That quiet expression of gratitude resonates throughout the partnership. Griffeth described a conversation with Lorenzo Hooper, a single father of five, who shared how CCPC’s food pantry outreach has positively impacted his family’s health and perspective.

“He told me that the fresh vegetables they receive have made a significant difference for his family’s health and outlook,” she said. “With the vegetable boxes CCPC provided near his home, his kids have developed a love for growing food. Understanding where it comes from has given them a genuine appreciation.”

The partnership has also become a meaningful learning experience for the Christian Center itself.

“For me, it’s been an incredible, eye-opening experience,” Griffeth said. “I’m used to managing projects and deadlines, but this work has taught me to slow down, listen, and honor their pace. It has changed the way I think about service.”

As CCPC prepares to rebuild the greenhouses near the powwow grounds this spring, Griffeth emphasized that the goal remains steadfast and simple: to continue showing up.

“I just don’t want them to be forgotten,” she said. “They add so much value, understanding, and beauty to our state—their language, their resilience, their traditions. It’s a privilege to be part of their story.”