WSU’s OgdenCAN celebrates a decade of action, invites others to join the impact
OGDEN, Utah — For 10 years, OgdenCAN has united neighbors and local partners to make the community a better place to live, learn, and work.
“Over the last decade, residents, youth, and local businesses have shown us that lasting change is only possible through co-creation,” said Meggie Troili, OgdenCAN director. “When community anchors like Weber State University and allies work alongside residents, ideas turn into lasting impact.”
OgdenCAN, which stands for Ogden Civic Action Network, is housed within WSU’s Office of Community Development. Through partnerships with other institutions, the network supports Ogden’s East Central neighborhood — the area between Adams Avenue to Harrison Boulevard and 20th to 30th streets.
“Together, we’ve built networks focused on community health, education, and leadership development,” Troili said. “It’s resulted in improved parks, expanded housing resources, literacy programs, murals, and a growing network of local leaders.”
OgdenCAN’s hands-on work helped WSU earn its third Carnegie Classification for Community Engagement, a national recognition awarded to universities with outstanding community engagement.
To keep this momentum going, the network is launching a campaign to invest in the future. Support helps continue existing successes and fuels new opportunities. Learn about ways to give, as well as how to receive a hand-lettered anniversary poster created by a local artist, on OgdenCAN’s campaign website.
In honor of a decade of making a difference, here are 10 of OgdenCAN’s top milestones that have set the stage for what comes next:
1. $1.4 million in interventions: OgdenCAN has financially supported dozens of initiatives — from tutoring to food security programs — strengthening the community’s health, education, and economic stability.
2. Community Leaders Network: In partnership with Intermountain Health, OgdenCAN trains and supports up to seven budding changemakers every year. They each pick a project in Ogden’s East Central Neighborhood to work on over a seven-month period.
3. Healthy living: Working with the Weber-Morgan Health Department, the network established three core health initiatives — substance abuse, healthy lifestyles, and mental health — to guide future goals and projects.
4. Housing resources: Residents can now reach out to a full-time housing mediator, established through the Ogden-Weber Community Action Partnership, for help with questions about renting or eviction.
5. Demographics research: Thanks to expanded outreach and research, progress in Ogden’s East Central neighborhood can be monitored with the Utah Healthy Places Index, ensuring data-driven improvements on local living conditions.
6. Benefits Cliff Summit: OgdenCAN convened regional and national partners to advance research and solutions to address the “cliff effect” and explore how to help families increase their income without losing essential public support.
7. Neighborhood anchor projects: The network bolsters local community spaces, like Dumke Arts Plaza and the Oasis Community Garden. It also secured funding to make improvements to Lester Park.
8. Joint summits: Leaders and the public can co-create long-term plans for impact during an annual summit, hosted by OgdenCAN partnered with the United Partnership Council.
9. SPARC House: A demonstration home, located in the heart of East Central, was seed-funded by OgdenCAN. It will now showcase sustainable technologies that can lower bills and improve the environment.
10. National recognition: As a member of the Coalition of Urban and Metropolitan Universities, OgdenCAN’s collaborative work was recognized when former chair Brenda Kowalewski received the Barbara A. Holland Scholar Administrator Award.
Future goals include securing three new anchor institutions to collaborate with, growing financial support for an impact innovation fund, expanding the Community Leaders Network, and strengthening partnerships across sectors.
Marketing & Communications
- Contact:
Rachel Badali, Public Relations Director
801-626-7948, rachelbadali@weber.edu