Provo, UT — In a heartfelt and game-changing move, BYU Cougars head football coach Kalani Sitake has announced a personal investment of $8.5 million to transform a private estate into a full-service shelter for homeless and at-risk youth across Utah Valley.
The property—formerly a private luxury residence tucked near the Wasatch Mountains—will be repurposed into a haven of hope, offering temporary housing, counseling services, education assistance, and job training opportunities for youth facing housing insecurity.
Sitake, known for his leadership on the field and humility off it, shared the emotional reasoning behind this bold initiative in a press conference Friday morning.
> “I’ve seen the pain too many kids go through, sleeping in cars, couch surfing, or just being invisible. If football teaches us anything, it’s that no one wins alone. We lift each other up,” Sitake said. “This is personal. This is bigger than football.”
The facility, which will be named The Sitake Hope House, is set to open in early 2026, in partnership with local nonprofit organizations and community leaders. It will house up to 60 young people at a time and will prioritize teens aging out of the foster care system or experiencing homelessness.
Sitake, who grew up in a large Tongan-American family and often speaks about the importance of faith, culture, and belonging, said the vision has been in his heart for years.
“I was raised to give more than you take,” he said. “So many of these kids don’t need saving—they just need a place to be seen, to be safe, and to believe again.”
Reactions across the BYU and Utah communities have been overwhelmingly positive, with fans, alumni, and civic leaders praising Sitake’s generosity and vision.
As the Cougars gear up for their 2025 football season, their head coach is already scoring major wins far beyond the gridiron—by changing lives, one young person at a time.
Leave a Reply