Encircle opens new home in Ogden to support LGBTQ+ youth and families

With a weekend of celebration and ribbon cuttings, Encircle officially opened its newest LGBTQ+ youth and family support center in Ogden, Utah. The brownstone-style home at 2458 Washington Blvd. becomes the nonprofit’s fifth “home” in Utah, and its first built from the ground up.

Encircle, founded in 2017, provides safe, affirming spaces for LGBTQ+ youth ages 12–25 and their families. The new Ogden home offers programs ranging from casual after-school drop-ins to peer-led friendship circles, art and music nights, and family dinners. Licensed therapists are also available on-site, with scholarships offered to help youth access mental health care.

“This is an LGBTQ youth and family resource center,” said Callie Birdsall-Chambers, Encircle spokesperson. “These are safe spaces that look like home and feel like home for those LGBTQ individuals that may not have that otherwise, but also for families to come and find connection with people they may not have otherwise.”

The building, which broke ground in 2021, replaces an empty grass lot with a three-story facility featuring green space, a plaza, and a large kitchen donated by IKEA. Unlike Encircle’s earlier homes, which were renovated Victorian houses, the Ogden site was designed and constructed specifically for the nonprofit. Nilson Homes completed the project after covering final construction costs. The Young Caring For Our Young Foundation, based in Weber County, also secured naming rights for the home.

“This is our first from-the-ground-up build,” Birdsall-Chambers said. “It used to be this big hill of grass, but now it’s this big, beautiful home here in Ogden.”

Encircle’s mission is rooted in research showing that supportive environments significantly reduce suicide risk among LGBTQ+ youth. Ana Chavarri, the group’s associate vice president of programs, shared the story of one teen who came to Encircle after being bullied out of school and experiencing suicidal thoughts.

“At first, their parent had to drag them to the center,” Chavarri said. “They went from hanging back to joining activities to challenging their peers at chess. They found community. They were safe again.” That young person is now a leader in the home — and remains undefeated at chess.

Encircle Ogden Program Director Elise Villaroman, who previously worked at the group’s Heber City location, said she is eager to see the new space foster the same kind of transformation.

“I have a real passion for working with young people,” Villaroman said. “As a queer individual myself, I can understand the difficulties that sometimes come with being LGBTQ+. So my message to the community is: come and see this space, see what we do, and see how you feel when you come in. We’re just excited to welcome everyone and build a great community here.”

“I began my career in residential treatment, where I discovered a passion for supporting youth — especially LGBTQ+ young people. That passion led me to Encircle, where I’ve worked for the past three years and had the privilege of opening the Heber City location. There, I developed a deep appreciation for community building,” Villaroman said in a statement. “I’m currently pursuing a Business Management degree at Western Governors University. Outside of work and school, I enjoy sports, music, reality TV, board games, puzzles, being an aunt, and spending time with my three-legged cat, Karma.ription.”

Ryan Sanders, Encircle Ogden’s program coordinator, attended programming at the Encircle Salt Lake home and immediately fell in love.

“When I moved to Ogden and saw the home going up there, I knew that’s where I wanted to direct my life. All I want is to make the world a more kind and understanding place and with Encircle I can do exactly that,” Sanders said in a statement. “I’m a communications major at Weber State with a passion for philosophy and collaboration. I’m a hippy and a writer and a yogi and a climber. I love building connections — connections with other people, with nature, with the universe, and within myself to learn about life and all of it. I like cats more than dogs, but my heart belongs to the creepy crawlies. My special skill? Handstands.”

Saturday’s festivities included remarks from Encircle CEO Alex Cutini, former board chair Mike Ostermiller, Ogden Mayor Ben Nadolski, Ogden Pride President Sean Childers-Gray, and local partners who helped bring the project to completion. Two ribbon cuttings marked the official launch, and doors opened to the public on Monday, September 8.

The opening comes at a time when northern Utah organizations are weaving a broader network of LGBTQ+ support. Ogden Pride is developing a mobile library featuring LGBTQ+ and often-banned books. A new Weber-Davis chapter of PFLAG, the only one in Utah, now hosts monthly meetings for families and allies. The College Pride Alliance, launched after state law eliminated identity-based student centers on campuses, serves LGBTQ+ students in higher education.

Encircle hopes to serve as a hub for this network. Chavarri said the nonprofit is recruiting Spanish-speaking volunteers and plans to host outside organizations in its new space. “We need other community partners here in Ogden to help us build that safety net,” she said.

Birdsall-Chambers emphasized that Encircle homes are meant to counter the negative messages queer youth too often hear. “It seems like often, everywhere these youth turn, they’re finding walls,” she said. “Whether it’s at home, at school, or at church. They need to know there are spaces like this that are worth investing in. These spaces are full of love.”

Encircle Ogden is now open for drop-in hours, therapy appointments, and community programming. For more information on services, tours, or volunteer opportunities, visit encircletogether.org/encircle-ogden.