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Fostering Conversations with Utah Foster CareConversations about parenting for bio, foster, adoptive or blended families to increase understanding of issues we all experience as families. Author: Utah Foster Care
Utah Foster Care guides real and raw conversations about parenting for bio, foster, adoptive or blended families to increase understanding of issues we all experience as families. Utah Foster Care's mission is to develop innovative strategies to help recruit, train, and retain foster families. Language: en-us Genres: Kids & Family, Parenting Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it |
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Ep 66: Compassion in Action
Episode 66
Tuesday, 9 December, 2025
Podcast: Fostering Conversations Host: Amy Smith Guest: Dave, Owner of Dave’s Auto Episode Summary In this heartfelt episode, Amy sits down with Dave Bell from Dave’s Auto Center to discuss his incredible journey of giving back to the community through Utah Foster Care and other charitable initiatives. Dave shares the deeply personal story of his mother’s childhood in an orphanage, how that shaped his values, and why supporting foster families and children is so meaningful to him. From partnering with Mountain America Credit Union to organizing a massive community Christmas event, Dave’s passion for service shines through every story. Key Topics Covered Dave’s Background: From starting his auto shop in a storage unit to building a successful business over 36 years. Personal Connection: How his mother’s experience as an orphan inspired his commitment to foster care. The Power of Service: Why giving back changes lives—both for those who receive and those who give. Community Christmas Event: Details about the annual Family Community Christmas in Farmington, serving thousands of families with food, clothing, toys, and holiday cheer. Encouragement for Listeners: Practical ways to get involved and make a lasting impact during the holiday season. Memorable Quotes “Service is a dividend that pays double.” – Dave “Be careful what you fill your mind with—your life depends on it.” – Dave “One caring adult can make all the difference.” – Amy Resources & Links Utah Foster Care: utahfostercare.org Family Community Christmas (Farmington, UT): December 20th at Farmington Fair Park Mountain America Credit Union: macu.com Call to Action Want to make this holiday season meaningful? Join the Family Community Christmas event or support foster families in your area. Your time and kindness can change lives. Transcript: Amy: Welcome to Fostering Conversations. I’m your host, Amy Smith. Today we have Dave with Dave’s Auto, Thank you so much for joining our podcast today. We’re excited to chat with you. Dave: I’m happy to be here. Thank you. Amy: So let’s start off by just introducing yourself, you know, what’s a little bit of your background and how did you get involved with Utah Foster Care? Dave: my background is, I’ve been a mechanic my whole life since I was 15. So that’s 50 years now. And I started the business here in Utah in 1990. So we’re starting our 36th year this year. And started in a storage unit in the dead of winter with no heat. And Lord, I’ve been very blessed. So that’s a little bit about me and where I came from and why I’ve gotta shop. Mountain American Credit Union came to me last year, a little before Christmas, and asked me to collaborate with them with Utah Foster Care. And I was so honored to do it, and they didn’t even know it. They just came to me because they wanted a a working kind of guy to be part of their ad campaign and everything. And then through, meeting the people and you know, talking to Utah foster care and everything a story came up and that story is probably why this is so near and dear to me, but no one knew that. But it’s unusual how people will get put in your life or you’ll get put in people’s lives and then it’s an answer to somebody’s prayer. You know, for me it’s an answer to my prayer ’cause I can give back. I’ve been so blessed in my life. And I hope that in some way that benefits Utah Foster care. So there’s a story there, and I don’t know whether you want that Amy: Yeah let’s just dive right in so that our listeners aren’t on the edge of their sheets like I am. Dave: Okay I’ll try to get through this. I’ve yeah, it’s an emotional story. okay. So my mother, God rest her soul. It was an orphan. So I’m looking for a tissue and of course in the mechanic shop, I got a shop rag here. Okay. Not really. Alright okay, I got that outta the way. Okay. My dear sweet mother, God rest her soul was the one of the finest women I ever knew, but she was an orphan. Now. I don’t know this, and I’m wondering when , the foster program kind of started in America. My mother was born in Ohio. She was put in an orphanage. This would’ve been back in 1940. Amy: Okay. Dave: She was put in an orphanage in Ohio and she lived her life there until my father married her and they were together for 56 years. Amy: Wow. Dave: Now I didn’t know why my mother, my whole life, I did not know why my mother went into an orphanage. I just, even growing up, I never knew. I never knew. I just didn’t know. And about a month or two before she passed away, she revealed to me how she ended up in an orphanage at six years old. And it’s amazing. You know how that shaped her life in a way. And I’m sure she’s not here to defend her. Not that she has to, but my mother never had the opportunity to be taught what a mother was. And but yet, My mother was a woman that had an apron on and I come home from school and there was a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for me and somebody to talk to. And she told me that I, when she passed and I asked her, how’d you end up being such a great mom? And ’cause she really was four children and plus my dad, which, okay, that was five children. She was a good mother and I think what it did is since she didn’t have a mother, She went the extra mile and she made sure that she was. The best mother. I remember speaking to women that came to her funeral that spoke about how she had inspired them to be better women and better mothers. And so anyway, my point of that was is to tell the people that are being foster care parents. My mother had some very nice things to say about the people that were in the orphanage. She never, you know, she, I can’t remember the lady’s name, but the mother of the orphanage, the head mother was a very kind woman. She wasn’t cruel or anything. She was a very nice woman. And my mother she taught her how to, my mother learned how to sew and cruise che and knit and meet, you know, all that stuff. And you know, for all our grandkids and everything, she would always be making booties and little sweaters and stuff like that. And so I think of that as what foster parents give to all these children that, for some reason or another, my mother did tell me why she and this is not an unusual story, probably, you know, my mother I’ll, I will tell this because she told me this she was put in an orphanage because during that time her mother was so poor. Then her mother turned to prostitution, Amy: Yeah. Dave: To take care of, you know, to feed herself. This was back in 1940 and America was a very, if you were poor, there wasn’t a whole lot of safety nets for you. And so my mother was taken by the state and put in an orphanage and she never got out of that. And and so I, you know, my heart goes out to a lot of these children. Amy: Yeah. Dave: They have to be removed from a home because their parents, it’s not that they’re making a bad decision it’s sometimes they don’t have another decision to make or, you know, things happen. And any way that I can help those children and these parents it’s one of me and my wife’s great goals. We all, we are my youngest son who’s 25, has autism the foster care community and the autism community is very dear to me. I think there’s a lot of kids with developmental disabilities in the foster care Amy: are. Dave: and Yeah. And the people that, gosh, you know, there’s angels all over the world and a lot of ’em were foster parents. Amy: A lot of them are foster parents. You’re right. And a lot of ’em are people like you who care and give back in incredible ways. So thank you for sharing kind of the. The hidden story behind why you do give back and why you do work with Utah foster care and have such a passion for caring for kids in need, and the foster parents that are taking care of them. That’s really neat. So I, I didn’t know that backstory, so thank you for sharing that and being vulnerable. That’s beautiful. Thank you. Dave: I tell you, if your editors hear this and say, gosh we gotta get that over again without him sobbing and. Just, I’ll do it over Amy: Nope. We don’t want that. We want the real deal. So thank you. Dave: Okay. Amy: that I love about it too is that you talk about, you know, your grandmother was. Was an incredible woman too, and she was doing what was best for her daughter, which was protecting her from a life of poverty and what she had to turn to. And a lot of kids in foster care are exposed to these really dangerous environments and these poverty environments where they cannot be provided for. And so I think having that compassion for these kids and for what they’ve experienced and them being placed in. Beautiful foster homes, but also that’s such a crappy situation, right? No one deserves to be raised in a foster home, but for their protection they have to be sometimes. So I think that’s a really neat parallel that you have. Dave: Yeah. It, you know, I was 58 years old before I knew the real story of why my mother was in it for, she kept Amy: Yeah. Wow. Dave: because she didn’t wanna put that on her mother. And I think as a mother. She went through hard times. My father was in the Navy for 24 years, and he was an enlisted man, not an officer. My parent, we were poor, but she never, so she understood what poverty was, but she never blamed her mother for it. It was, it’s just another gold star on my mother’s forehead because of the woman that, you know, I see. I see her now to be. Amy: And I love that because, so I actually am a previous foster parent. We fostered for four years and I’ve worked for Utah Foster Care. We’ve adopted children and something that is actually quite mind boggling to a lot of people who haven’t fostered, but you just nailed it on the head, is that these kids love their parents no matter what. No matter if they were placed in an orphanage or had to enter foster care. Or anything. That connection is so important, and I think a lot of outsiders don’t see that and they can’t understand it, but it’s really a big deal to most kids, Dave: Sure. I had a great childhood. I didn’t know I was poor until I was old enough to realize I was poor in my teenage years. You know, when you. Your clothes didn’t match the other kids. And the same thing that kids still to this day are faced with, but tenfold because of social media. Amy: Yes. Dave: But, and I can’t even, Ima, you know, my grandkids are subjected to that now, but you know, whatever I can do and I mean that whatever I can do to help families and these young people. Get through this, you know, and a lot of that would be the encouragement to say, you are capable, you have a divine spirit in you, and you’re capable of incredible things. And children need to hear that. They need to hear that what they can dream up is possible with hard work and discipline. And I’m an Amy: I was just gonna say that hearing your story and seeing how successful you are through many platforms is the epitome of, you know, success really. And that’s pretty impressive. Like you say, hard work determination, like these kids can be anything they want to be and put their mind to, and that is incredible. Dave: Yeah. Yeah. Amy: So why don’t you tell us a little bit about last year’s Christmas donation that you were part of with Mountain America Credit Union. Dave: Oh, that was fun. We did a a Jeep giveaway and we also delivered a bunch of presents We, we partnered with Mountain America Credit Union, who has just been such a great partner, you know, such a good company. You know, and they’re they’re a bank for crying out loud. I’m just a mechanic. And, to have the opportunity to partner with a great company like that and do something for a community that I’ve wanted to hook up with and never had an in, you know, was always in the autism space and things like that. And then to have this opportunity has just been wonderful. You know, there’s another thing I’ll announce that we do and it’s and I’ve been doing this with my family. We’re almost 30 years, but up here in Davis County, it’s called the Family Community Christmas, and it’s at the Farmington Fair Park and it’s on December the 20th. , That has grown from a couple of crockpots to over 3000 people served. In the homeless and foster community. And we we have pony rides, we have clothing set up. Every kid gets a new toy, not some old recycled toy. And that’s going on the 20th. And anybody that feels like their Christmas is gonna be less, and especially, and I would say this, not just people that are gonna have less for Christmas, but people that want to like really. Th this is the wonderful thing about this. Let me, if I could just pitch this, because it’s dear to my heart. Me and my family, even when my boys were little, me and my wife would go out there. We make hot chocolate now, and we do, we figure, we do about 80 gallons of hot chocolate Amy: cow. Dave: for this thing. Now there’s 3000 people that come and what makes this so great is every family or couple, they get paired with a family that comes from the community and they spend the afternoon with them. You know, helping them around in, in these areas where they can get clothing and food and hygiene supplies. Their kids can ride ponies or a sleigh and all kinds of stuff. It’s just a fun time and it’s all free. So if you’re a family that’s looking to help out, you know, you wanna jazz yourself up for Christmas, don’t go to Nordstrom for crying out loud. That’s just gonna, that’s just gonna hurt you. It is. You know, the credit card bill comes 30 days later and you’re like, I spent too much, or whatever. You know, do something that doesn’t cost you a dime, but that pays you. The reward is so much more. You can come out there and there’s a place they’ll put you with another family. And it would, I’ve seen I’ve seen people that thought they had all the problems in the world because they didn’t get a raise or, you know, the rent, I, you know, whatever. And they come out there and they spend two or three hours being of service to their fellow man, and they walk away this is the best Christmas I could ever have. And so if you wanna set yourself up for a positive Christmas. Do something like that, or, you know, give to the foster care community. Those are the things that make for a lasting memory for, you know, you’re not gonna remember what you bought in Nordstrom’s a year from now, and your wife ain’t gonna remember that piece of jewelry. Amy: it’s true. So how do people, if they want to give back, how do they get involved? Do they literally just show up? Do they have to sign up? What is the steps If you want to be a person that gives back. Dave: Okay. Good question. It’s the family community, Christmas, FC, C, and it’s there in Farmington. It’s on December the 20th. You can just show up and if you wanna bring some stuff, there’s brand new coats, there’s gloves, there’s socks, there’s winter clothes , Amy: I love it. And what, like if someone was listening thinking, Hey, I could really benefit from that resource, is it the same thing? Do they just show up or do they need to sign up and put in their info anywhere? Dave: They, if they just show up, they’ll get a ticket and they come in you know, I’m thinking they can, and it’s, the day is December the 20th and we’re gonna start at 10 o’clock taking families through. We’ll be there till three, four o’clock. Yeah, If you’re looking to just do something, I know a lot of times, like me and my wife are like, Hey, let’s go do something and we’ll go down to the homeless shelter and, you know, wash dishes or serve or something like that, you know, which is fun, but it’s you know, you’re by yourself and, but if you wanna just be a part of a lot of people feeling all that love and that great vibe this is the way to do Amy: Awesome. Okay. That’s such good information. I didn’t know about that, and I think there’s so many people looking to give back in December. So that is. Awesome opportunity, so thank you for sharing that. That’s great. Dave: Yeah. Amy: Okay, so let’s you, we’ve talked about the Christmas, something that I love that you said is for this community project you do as well as what you did for Utah Foster Care last year is you talked about. The new toys, the new items. I think that’s really important to touch on as this is rolling out in December and people are looking to give back. Yes. Things hand-me-downs are so lovely. I love hand-me-downs, right? There’s nothing against them. But I think these kids have experienced so much that new really matters. Dave: Oh, it, I think it makes a totally different, you know, you said you like hand me downs. I do too, because now I don’t, I’m okay to get it, you know, it’s not Amy: the only option. Dave: yeah. And you know, we’ve done that as a family before where. You know, I can’t remember last time when I bought a Christmas gift, to be honest with you, we don’t do that. I’m, and I’m not that, I’m a ba humbug kind of guy. I just, Amy: You do things that matter and are Dave: I, so if the kids, when they were young and they wanted we’d take all, we’d take the gifts around and I’d dress up like Santa Claus and I’d, we’d give the gifts away. And the kids, that’s what they remember. Now that’s a guarantee. My kids still to this day. Dang it. Talk about dad being funny, going around dressed as Santa Claus and they were mom and they see pictures. They were so young. Some of it they don’t really remember except through their, you know, the pictures. She’d dress ’em up as little elves Amy: man. Dave: and we’d go around and give gifts out to the community that was in need. . It was my kids’ gifts. And that’s what they remember. And I will promise you that, I can guarantee you look at my 30-year-old sons, now, and say, Hey, do you remember what you got when you were eight years old for Christmas? They couldn’t tell you and it might have been a bike , but I guarantee you what they remember is the experience of. Hanging out with dad making somebody happy. My wife was the most gorgeous miss Claus you ever saw, you know. Amy: I love that. So could you tell us a little bit, like what were, you, say your kids, that’s of course what they would remember, but what would you say was their experience doing that? I think about that and I think, would my kids be okay with that? What has, what was their experience when they were younger, you know, and were they okay with that? Dave: , In truth when the boys got a little older, they didn’t wanna wear the hats and the green thing anymore. But they certainly wanted to be a part of they just wanted to be themselves, you know, at so that changed. But other than that no. I think we caught ’em young enough when they just thought it was fun. Amy: Yeah, and it was normal, for your family. That’s what you guys did. Dave: Yeah. It was normal that, you know, my kids knew pretty quick who Santa Claus was. I wasn’t, I hope, I don’t wanna screw anything up here, Amy: I don’t think we have too young of listeners, but. Dave: they found out at a relatively young age that I guess dad could be Santa Claus. you know, you do watch your children in those situations. It’s nervous for ’em. ’cause they’re like, this is weird. This is, you know, it’s new. It’s different. but I think if they see the example that. It can be fun. And I’m guaranteeing you, you know, you put me in a Santa outfit it’s my alter ego. I know. Seriously. I I got a ho, ho, ho that’s just on point. Anyway, I think the kids just fell in line and, you know, and it was a wonderful thing for ’em. They, it’s all they would talk about during Christmas. Amy: Wow, that is really cool. Dave: Yeah, I, everybody, there’s a lot of people do this stuff. I, Amy: I. Dave: but I’m just saying, I I think a lot of people do this kind of stuff. It might look a little different, you know, a lot of people don’t feel comfortable dressing up like Santa Claus, me, I’m there. Amy: I love it. I love it. Sadly, these podcasts go by so fast and we’re already gonna be wrapping up in just a couple minutes, but if you could share maybe just one, one or two of your most favorite give back moments, I would love for listeners just to get to hear about that. I know, sorry, I’m totally putting you on the spot here. Dave: , we started our social media a little over two years ago at the wrangling of my, one of my sons kept telling me, you gotta do this, dad. And I was like, I’m, at the time I was 63 years old. I’m like, there’s, I’m not doing this, man. I didn’t even have a Facebook account. But anyway, he said, do that, you know, and so I started doing, and now that it’s worked out real well, but where I’m going with this was a family that I knew that was in the neighborhood and they knew me. When I showed up at their door, and this is when I used to live behind the shop, I used to live in the community that, where my shop is here in Centerville. I’m that guy. But some of the people that we helped out during that time, that was over 20 years ago was in my community and we just happened to know that there’re struggling. So we’d go to their houses and this young man was struggling with some problems and he had two little children and I knew he was a good guy. , I, it’s dude I’ve been there, drank too much, partied too much, , not making the right decision in your twenties or whatever, , and now you got all this weight on you and , you’re trying. And I could see that. And so we did that with him for a few years, and he eventually moved outta the community. Didn’t know where he went didn’t know what happened. And come to find out then when he recontacted me stopped him at the store, was happy, and I met him. I didn’t recognize the guy at first, and he started telling me about, and then I remembered who he was and his family, him and his wife had two more children. He’s a successful contractor doing construction and concrete work. Got a beautiful house, showed me a picture of his family, and just wanted to thank me. Amy: Yeah. Dave: So that was over 25 years. And somebody still, again, he didn’t, they didn’t re he probably couldn’t tell me what gifts I gave to his children. I certainly couldn’t remember what I gave him. But what he remembered was the outpouring of love and concern for his family. And I think too, I’d have to say he, the way he spoke to me, not that I was an inspiration, that he could have a business and do his own thing, because I wouldn’t take credit for that. But it was like I had enough faith in him and he told me, I saw what you could do and you’re nothing special. and that’s the truth. People, you know, people come up to me all the time, it’s so nice. I’ll be anywhere. And people go, oh, Dave and all that. And you know, and I’ll ask ’em, Hey, are you a mechanic? You know. You know, I just try to make a conversation with him. I’m nothing special. I feel that the world has been really kind to me. I try to look at it that way. The world can be very beautiful and kind to you, if that’s your outlook. Change your Amy: And it can be the opposite, if that’s your outlook. Dave: Yeah. Be careful what you fill your mind with. Like your life depends on it because by the way, your life depends on it. Amy: exactly. I love that story and it reminds me a lot in foster care. It’s often said one caring adult can make all the difference and it does. If someone cares and believes in you and shows up for you, maybe 25 years later, you’ll run into them in the grocery store. Dave: I Amy: And hear how successful they’re being. That’s incredible. Dave: Yeah. That’s. Is there really any greater moment in life than being certainly all those moments with your family and your spouse, but the next best one your brothers and sisters on this planet, that you have a moment in your life where you can just be part of their life to Amy: Yeah and see them doing well, especially after a hardship. That’s really cool. Dave: Yeah. It was super Amy: That’s amazing. Dave: So that’s one. I’m sure there’s a bunch Amy: Oh, of course. Dave: You hit you, you hit me cold there. That’s the Amy: I know. Sorry. You know, sometimes I just get a question and I need to know the answer, so thank you. I think just the last thing that we could wrap up with is, you know, what does serving your community, giving back to your community, what does that mean to you and what would you encourage others who are wanting to do that Dave: you know this I’ll tell you what it does in other people’s lives. I think I’ve talked enough about myself. This, family community Christmas that we have up here in Farmington every year. It started out at the Frodsham family farm. And if you live up here in Davis County, the Frodsham’s have been around. They own a landscape company. Barb and her husband Frank, were, they’re pioneer stock. They’ve been around since God made dirt around here. And so I’ll tell you what the answer to your question will be. Her story a couple years into it. I got to know Frank and Barb pretty good. And I said, you know, how did this start? And I can’t remember her daughter’s name and maybe it’s appropriate that I don’t say her daughter’s name, but she told me, you know, my daughter was going through a really bad divorce. It was just, it was really hard. And she was, why? You know, just what we do when we’re going through hard times, we fill our mind with how bad things are. And so her mom said, , this is not working. Okay, let’s do something for the neighbors for Christmas. And she got some crockpots together and some toys and stuff like that. And it started out like that with just a couple of families. And so the answer to your question is, what can giving back to the community do for not only yourself but the world? It changes the world. Nothing changes the world more than service. Service is a dividend. That pays double when you give service in any form, it pays double. Now, I’m not, I don’t mean in coinage, but it pays double in all. And sometimes it could be in coinage, you know, you meet the right people, things happen. I’m a big believer in how God can take the little bit that I have and just poof, blow it up. And so that’s what I would say about this. If you wanna make a real impact on this earth, just do a little bit of service and watch it grow Amy: I love that. That’s awesome. Thank you for joining us today. Thank you for all the beautiful stories that you were willing to share, and thank you for all that you do for the community. It really is inspirational and yes, I know you don’t wanna take credit, but thank you. Dave: you. You’re welcome. Thank you. Amy: Thanks for joining us for Fostering Conversations. I’m your host, Amy Smith.
