The Christian Center of Park City (CCPC) is ringing in its 25th year of service in 2025. Founded by Jim and Susan Swartz, a local husband-and-wife duo, the humanitarian resource center began as a humble food pantry operating out of a storage unit. Since then, it has become a wide-casted net of services for community members in need. Programs range from food pantries and basic needs assistance to mental health counseling and Native American outreach. In 2013, the center expanded from Summit County into Wasatch County and now operates a campus in both Park City and Heber Valley.
CCPC envisions its services as a stepladder, each rung lifting people toward stability and self-sufficiency. The base is food security, achieved by free food pantries. The subsequent step is hope and resilience with rent assistance, crisis prevention and back-to-school programs helping families regain footing. Next is a myriad of mental health services to nurture long term well-being. At the top is giving back. “The final [step], that we think is just as important, is giving people an opportunity to give back,” says Executive Director Steve Richardson.
At a recent community food drive, two volunteers were handing off boxes of donation items. Not long ago, both had been on the receiving end. Now, they stood proudly on the other side, eager to pay it forward. “The most prideful part was how they didn’t need [our help] anymore. When they really needed it, we were there for them,” says Richardson.
Not everyone starts at the bottom of the ladder. CCPC’s mission is to meet people at their point of need, whether navigating job or life transitions, emergencies like home fires, medical crises or other complex challenges. No matter the starting point, the destination is the same: a platform stable enough to extend a hand to the next person in line.
These days, food is in highest demand. In addition to their two brick and mortar food pantries, CCPC also operates mobile pantries, seasonally delivering nourishment to the doorstep of those with young children, disabilities, fear or even shame. Because that is what is also in most demand: dignity. Combating the stigma of shame associated with having need is at the core of CCPC’s operations, meaning programs are designed to help clients maintain autonomy and pride while providing for their families. Because of this, much of the organization’s work is intentionally discreet.
The successes of CCPC’s support are often intangible, creating challenges for visibility in terms of fundraising. As one of only a few larger nonprofits in town without an endowment, CCPC operates year to year for funding. About one-third of the organization’s revenue is raised through proceeds from their secondhand and consignment stores: Park City Thrift, Park City Boutique, Summit Exchange and the recently expanded Heber Valley Thrift.
Despite its name, the Christian Center is not part of any church or denomination — no one must be religious to use their services or volunteer. Anyone requiring basic needs assistance can fill out an online form, whereas events like Back 2 School Basics and the holiday gifting program Operation Hope have in-person registration. For food pantry services, community members can show up anytime during business hours.
Jess Bryant, CCPC’s deputy director of grants and marketing, encourages everyone to tour the organization’s campuses to get a glimpse of their wide-reaching arms. “There’s such a big ripple effect for every interaction that people have with us, and I want [everyone] to know how far that spreads,” she says.
To utilize CCPC’s services and to support the organization’s noble efforts through volunteering time, shopping at the stores and donating directly, go to ccofpc.com.
