Heber family launches fundraiser to keep LGBTQ+ safe space alive

Encircle Heber, located at 81 E. Center St. in Heber City, is scheduled to close July 31. A local family has launched a fundraiser to try to keep the space open for LGBTQ+ youth, families and young adults. Photo: Encircle

Encircle says its Heber home will close July 31 after lower-than-needed engagement, while local supporters hope to buy the house and reopen it as an independent community center

HEBER CITY, Utah — A Heber City family is trying to keep a local LGBTQ+ safe space open after Encircle announced it will close its Heber home at the end of July.

Janessa Judd, who launched the GoFundMe campaign “Help Save Heber’s LGBTQ Safe Space,” said she was born and raised in Heber and has spent years advocating for a safe place for LGBTQ+ youth in her community. In the fundraiser, Judd said she has presented to the Heber City Council, worked with nonprofits and collaborated with other stakeholders to help make her hometown safer and more supportive for her younger brother and other LGBTQ+ youth.

Encircle opened its Heber home in 2023. The nonprofit provides support, community programming and mental health services for LGBTQ+ youth, young adults, parents, families and allies across Utah. Its website describes Encircle as a place where LGBTQ+ youth, young adults and families can find support, community and resources to thrive.

Judd said her family was deeply involved in helping establish the Heber home through donations, volunteering, and fundraising. On July 1, she said, the family learned Encircle planned to shut down the home and withdraw support from the community.

“After years of fighting for this, I have decided I am not done advocating for these kids,” Judd wrote on the fundraiser page. “The queer youth of Heber and every small community deserve to have a space where they feel supported and loved.”

The campaign is raising money to buy the Heber home and turn it into an independently run community center for LGBTQ+ youth, families and young adults.

Encircle announced July 2 that it had made what it called the “difficult decision” to conclude operations at the Heber home. The nonprofit said the home will remain open through July 31 while staff support youth, families, volunteers, and employees through the transition.

According to Encircle, the decision followed an evaluation of the Heber home’s operations. The organization said it had invested time and resources into school outreach, community events, local partnerships, marketing, and relationship-building throughout Wasatch County and the surrounding region.

“While individual youth and families have benefited from the support, community, and services provided through the Heber home, attendance and engagement remained consistently lower than at Encircle’s other locations,” Encircle said in its announcement.

Encircle said it also conducted a community readiness assessment that examined factors such as community engagement, leadership support, volunteer capacity, local resources, and long-term sustainability. The nonprofit said the findings showed that while LGBTQ+ youth and families in the region still need support, the broader conditions needed to sustain a dedicated physical location had not developed to the same level as in other Encircle communities.

Encircle said the decision does not reflect broader instability within the organization. Its other homes in Provo, Salt Lake City, St. George and Ogden have welcomed more than 1,600 unique guests in 2026 through drop-in services, support groups, family programming and community events, according to the nonprofit. Encircle also said it has provided more than 1,500 therapy sessions across all locations this year.

The Heber home is listed by Encircle at 81 E. Center St. The nonprofit’s services include drop-in hours and programs for young people ages 12 to 25, adult support, parent and family resources, and one-on-one therapy with licensed LGBTQ+-affirming therapists.

Encircle said it recognizes the Heber home has mattered deeply to the youth, families, volunteers, donors, and community members who helped build it.

“For some young people, the Heber home provided moments of belonging, friendship, support, and hope,” Encircle said. “Those experiences matter, and they will continue to be part of Encircle’s story.”

For Judd, the announced closure has become a call to keep the work local.

“Please support my community and me as we try to raise funds to buy the home and turn it into an independently run community center for LGBTQ youth, families, and young adults,” Judd wrote.