- You know, sometimes the simplest acts of service can have the biggest impact.

Miriam Murdoch and Vanessa Stanfill from Lifting Hands International join us now to discuss how Utah communities are coming together to support refugees through the Show Up for Service campaign.

Welcome, thank you so much for being here.

- Thank you for having us.

- So tell us a little bit more about the Show Up for Service campaign, and what a great time to launch it as well as the holidays are coming up.

- Yeah, absolutely.

You know, Lifting Hands International has been here in Utah for 10 years, and in that time we've seen a strong culture of volunteerism here in Utah.

What we see is that the main barrier for people in providing meaningful service is in just knowing where and how to do it.

And so the message that we hope to get across with the Show Up for Service campaign is to reach more people in Utah so they know with Lifting Hands International there are opportunities for hands on service.

Volunteers of all ages can participate.

Location is flexible, time is flexible, and we'd love to just provide that opportunity for more people.

- Yeah, and Vanessa, we have some of the images that are on the screen right now of some of the services that have been provided to help people.

What does it mean to you to be able to give back in this kind of way in Utah?

- Well, one of our family's most cherished holiday traditions is a refugee giving tree that we do with our neighborhood every Christmas.

And it's just so fun for my kids to run to the porch every day and see if people have brought donations.

And it's transformed our Christmas holiday from something focused on commercialism and wanting to instead a meaningful way of giving and a season of loving other people instead of focusing on ourselves.

And we love Lifting Hands International because we know that our service goes immediately to people in our community or directly to people around the world who are in need.

- Miriam, you have something in your lap that you brought.

You said it was a prop.

Is this an example of some of the work that you guys have done?

- Yeah, so this is an example of an aid kit that people will put together as part of their service projects for us.

This aid kit has hygiene items, shampoo, soap, toothpaste.

We are constantly in conversations with refugee communities around the world about what they need, and this is an example of one of those.

- Well, thank you so much for stopping by and sharing this.

If you would like to get more information on how you can give back, how you can help, we've got it for you on the screen.

Just go to lhi.org/volunteer for more details.

I'm Liz Adeola, and thank you for watching "Contact."

(lively music) Philanthropy, Arts, culture.

It's what brings us together.

Hi, I'm Liz Adeola, the host of Contact, a show that connects you with local events and organizations that serve your community.

If you work for a nonprofit and would like to be on Contact, please visit pbs.org/contact