Growing Hope: How One Man's Decade of Action Is Changing Lives in Southern Utah

Joe Gibbons thought it was just another day at work. Instead, he walked in to find friends, family and community members waiting to celebrate him for something he never set out to be recognized for.

Nearly ten years ago, tragedy first drew Gibbons into the fight against domestic violence. After an employee he had hired was killed by her husband in a domestic violence incident, Gibbons channeled his grief into action, becoming a driving force behind the Dove Center, which supports survivors throughout Washington and Kane counties with shelter, outreach, case management and a 24-hour support hotline.

Those closest to the organization say his sense of urgency has helped turn big ideas into real action. Where others might move cautiously, Gibbons pushes to see change happen now.

That urgency helped bring one of his biggest ideas to life. Three years ago, Gibbons proposed honoring his late employee by building transitional housing in her memory. Today, Kristy Suites gives survivors and their families up to two years of stable housing while they rebuild their lives.

The Fox 13 Dream Team, alongside Steve Wright from Mountain America, surprised Gibbons with tools, gloves and gift cards for the Kristy Suites garden, totaling $1,500, along with a $1,000 donation to the Dove Center made in Gibbons’ name. The team also unveiled a plaque for “The Joe Gibbons Garden,” a space dedicated to offering peace and hope to survivors for years to come.

Even after a decade of service, Gibbons isn't finished. He hopes to help build even more housing for survivors across southern Utah in the years ahead.