How emergency rental assistance kept one Utah family in their home during a medical crisis

When Jeremy suddenly went into cardiac arrest, the Smith family’s world changed overnight.

Their young son spent 60 days in the hospital fighting to survive. His mother, Tina, stayed by his side the entire time. His father, Rick, missed work while trying to balance medical responsibilities, hospital visits, and caring for his family during an unimaginable crisis.

As the medical bills and stress piled up, another fear quickly followed: losing their home.

With Tina unable to work and the family’s income suddenly reduced, rent fell behind. The Smith family was already navigating the trauma of a life-threatening medical emergency. Now they were facing the possibility of eviction too.

For many families, a crisis like this can quickly spiral into homelessness.

Instead, the Smiths found support when they needed it most.

How a medical crisis can put housing at risk

When families lose housing during a medical emergency, the effects can last long after the crisis itself ends.

Housing instability can make it harder for parents to keep jobs, manage medical care, support children emotionally, and recover financially. The stress of possible eviction can also worsen mental and physical health during an already overwhelming time.

That connection between housing and health is something Intermountain Community Care Foundation (ICCF) focuses on through its community grant programs.

The Smith family received support through the Boys & Girls Clubs of Utah County Housing Assistance Program, which helps families with children who are experiencing homelessness or are at immediate risk of eviction.

The program provides short-term rental assistance along with wraparound support designed to help families regain stability and move toward long-term self-sufficiency. Services are available to eligible families regardless of healthcare affiliation.

For the Smith family, that support arrived at exactly the right moment.

Timely rental assistance allowed them to remain safely housed while Jeremy recovered in the hospital. With stable housing secured, Rick was able to return to work, Tina could continue focusing on her son’s care, and the family could begin rebuilding financially without the added trauma of displacement.

Today, Jeremy is recovering, and the family remains in their home.

How emergency-based rental assistance programs support families

The Boys & Girls Clubs of Utah County Housing Program supports families across multiple Utah counties through emergency rental assistance, housing stabilization, and transitional housing support.

Families eligible for the program must have children in the home and demonstrate housing instability, such as facing eviction or struggling to remain housed after a crisis.

The program also connects families with employment resources and community support services to help them build long-term stability.

Support may include:

• Emergency rental assistance
• Help securing stable housing
• Transitional housing opportunities
• Employment and education support
• Connections to additional community resources

The goal is not only to prevent homelessness in the moment, but to help families create a stronger foundation moving forward.

For families like the Smiths, that support can change the trajectory of a difficult season before it becomes a lifelong setback.

Connecting housing support to community health outcomes

The Smith family’s story is one example of the community programs supported through grants from Intermountain Community Care Foundation.

Intermountain Community Care Foundation (ICCF), a separate charitable organization, provides grant funding to community-based programs that address needs identified through Intermountain Health’s Community Health Needs Assessments.

The foundation’s grant programs focus on areas including:

• Healthcare access
• Social drivers of health
• Child and family mental well-being
• Education innovation

Housing support plays an important role in that work because stable housing affects nearly every part of a family’s health and well-being.

When families have safe housing, they are better able to focus on medical care, emotional recovery, employment, education, and long-term stability.

In Utah County, housing stability is identified as a significant need in the 2025 Community Health Needs Assessment and is prioritized as a social driver of health. Nearly one in ten residents report being unable to pay rent, mortgage, or utility bills in a given year, and more than 29% of households spend over one-third of their income on housing costs.

Programs like the Boys & Girls Clubs of Utah County Housing Assistance Program help create that stability during some of life’s hardest moments.

The long-term impact of housing support during a crisis

For the Smith family, housing support meant more than paying rent during an emergency.

It meant staying together during Jeremy’s recovery. It meant reducing stress during a frightening and uncertain time. And it meant having the stability needed to begin moving forward again as a family.

Their story reflects what can happen when families receive support early – before a temporary crisis becomes permanent instability.

Because during life’s hardest moments, having a safe place to come home to can make all the difference.

Learn more about housing support and community grants

If your organization is working to improve healthcare access, housing stability, mental well-being, or other community health needs, learn more about Intermountain Community Care Foundation grant opportunities and upcoming application deadlines here.

Families in Utah who are facing housing instability or risk of eviction can also learn more about the Boys & Girls Clubs of Utah County Housing Assistance Program, including eligibility requirements and available support services here.