About Us

Our Story

The Helper Project was founded in August 2016 by Anne Morgan-Jespersen, a Utah native. As a teenager, Anne traveled throughout Utah and Wyoming with her father staking out oil and gas claims. This experience gave her a strong connection to and love for Utah’s landscape and the unique history of its rural cities and towns.

After working as an architect for over 13 years, Anne decided to devote her professional life to painting. For 20 years, she painted part-time in Helper. During that period, she gained an enormous appreciation for the extraordinary history, beauty, and tenacity of the people living in Helper. So, in 2015, Anne and her husband Roy decided to make Helper their permanent home. They purchased an old grocery market on Helper’s Main Street and spent a year renovating it into a living space and art gallery.

It didn’t take them long to discover that, like many rural railroad and mining towns, Helper had felt the effects of the decline in the production of coal, oil, and gas. They brainstormed how to best use their skills for the benefit of the community, and in August 2016, formed The Helper Project

Today, The Helper Project‘s governing board of community leaders, artists, and business owners prides itself on granting funds for projects in Helper that fall within the realm of the mission statement. Since 2016, over 70 projects, special events, and exhibitions have been completed, and more than $100,000 has been invested back into the community.

 OUR Mission

The mission of The Helper Project is simple: To foster revitalization and preservation, encourage economic development,
and promote cultural connections for the city and citizens of historic Helper, Utah.

REVITALIZATION

These turn of the century bungalows were painted, and the yards, retaining walls, and steps were redone with funds from The Helper Project.

PRESERVATION

The Helper Project received this historic soda fountain as a donation to be placed in a building on Main Street.

Cultural Enhancement

The Helper Project funds cultural events, like bringing the Utah Symphony to Helper to perform at no cost to the community and artist workshops.

Helper In The News

Click on the the links below to see news stories and learn more about what’s happening in Helper.

https://utahstories.com/2022/11/helper-utah-this-old-train-town-isnt-just-a-whistlestop-any-more/

https://www.darksky.org/helper-utah-certified-as-international-dark-sky-community/

https://www.forbes.com/sites/valeriestimac/2020/04/01/helper-utah-is-the-worlds-newest-dark-sky-communityheres-how-to-visit/

https://www.fox13now.com/news/local-news/small-utah-towns-using-grant-funded-projects-to-entice-visitors

https://www.ksl.com/article/50376583/helper-state-bank-latest-project-to-bring-historic-main-street-back-to-life

https://etvnews.com/changes-in-helper-business-district-is-due-to-team-effort-says-key-player-in-development/

https://www.kuer.org/society-culture/2019-07-12/helpers-art-renaissance-and-the-redefinition-of-a-town-identity

https://ksltv.com/397987/mans-love-past-now-helping-shape-helpers-future/

https://www.sltrib.com/artsliving/2019/08/11/helper-is-becoming-an/

https://www.the-journal.com/articles/helpers-new-riches-utah-railroad-coal-mining-town-reinvents-itself-as-artistic-haven/

https://www.visitutah.com/Places-To-Go/Cities-and-Towns/Helper