Estimated read time: 4-5 minutes
- Downtown Ambassadors in Salt Lake City provide crucial outreach and support.
- Jenn Kligmann, a former homeless individual, now helps others through the program.
- Ambassadors have assisted 7,000 visitors and connected people to 14,000 resources.
SALT LAKE CITY — On a chilly winter morning in Salt Lake City, Downtown Ambassador Jenn Kligmann approached a woman sitting against a building and offered a warm greeting.
"I just wanted to check on you, see how you're doing," she said.
Kligmann understands more than most just how meaningful that outreach can be. For nearly 10 years, she lived on these same streets, battling addiction, trauma and the weight of a life that had unraveled.
"I know what it's like to be there," she said.
Today, she's one of 32 full‑time Downtown Ambassadors, part of a program operated by the Downtown Alliance that focuses on safety, cleanliness, outreach and community support. And the numbers reflect the program's growing impact. Last year alone, ambassadors assisted nearly 7,000 visitors, picked up 6,400 bags of trash, connected people to more than 14,000 resources, and walked 83,000 miles — roughly the distance of circling the Earth three times.
'Connection on a very human level'
Kligmann remembers the moment an ambassador offered her empathy in her darkest days.
"Although they couldn't take that pain away from me, they connected with me on a level that was so personal," she said.
It wasn't a cure. It wasn't a rescue. It was a connection — the thing she now gives back every day.
"One tiny little phrase, one 30‑second pause," she said, "can make the difference between life and death."
A program built on trust — and second chances
Program director Kristina Olivas says the ambassadors' strength comes from consistency and compassion.
"We connect (with people living on the streets) multiple times a day," Olivas said. "Asking them how they're doing, seeing if they need a meal, seeing if we can get them to a resource that's available that day."
The Downtown Alliance intentionally hires people who understand hardship — people like Kligmann, who can bring lived experience into the work.
"We're a second‑chance employer," Olivas said. "That really connects with the folks that we're working with every day."
Olivas says they encourage applicants to become ambassadors without judgment, regardless of job history or criminal background.
Life‑saving work on the streets
Not every shift is uneventful. Ambassadors are trained to administer naloxone, and many have used it multiple times.
Ambassador Rey Graves shared his experience reviving a man who had already turned purple when he reached him.
"It was scary," Graves said. "I NARCANed him once, nothing. NARCANed him twice, nothing. I had to do like four NARCANs, and he came back up."
In another case, a bystander outside the Youth Arts Center watched an ambassador begin chest compressions on an unconscious man.
"I think they are making our places more safe, cleaner, more welcoming," said Adriana, who witnessed the rescue. "They deserve our appreciation and support."
A familiar face — and the reminder of a past survived
On one recent shift, Kligmann recognized a man from her past, someone who remembered an acquaintance nicknamed "Big Oreo." Their surprised laughter and long hug when they made the connection said more than words. It was a reminder of the world she escaped — and of those still living it.
"I was desperately trying to hold my life together," she said. "I got to the point where I just ran out of reasons to fight for myself," said Kligmann.
She doesn't hide the truth about the time she lost.
"I lost a decade of time," she said. "I wish every day I could go back and have the opportunities that I missed."
Emerging from the cocoon
Kligmann often describes her transformation through the metaphor of a butterfly struggling to break free.
"Kind of like in a cocoon. You know, the butterfly is going to struggle to get out," she said. "And the more you struggle, the more worth it, it is on the outside. The more beautiful the immersion is."
When asked if she feels like she's reached that stage, she smiles.
"Oh, I know I'm a butterfly," she said.
This week, she celebrates one full year as a Downtown Ambassador. A year of stability, purpose, and connection — the same connection she once received when she needed it most.
And every morning, she steps into downtown Salt Lake City determined to pass it on.
The Downtown Ambassadors assist visitors and local businesses every day. You can reach them at 801‑541‑6662.
