Smiths donates $611,000 to Utah schools

SALT LAKE CITY — Smith's Food & Drug Stores has donated more than $611,000 to Utah schools, the company announced Wednesday.

The donations are part of Smith's Learn & Earn Program, which distributes funds annually to public and private schools in Utah and neighboring states in the West.

The Utah schools benefiting most from the program include, Trailside Elementary in Park City, which received $27,764; Knowlton Elementary in Farmington, which received $18,615; Hunter High girls softball, which received $8,965, Wasatch High School in Heber City, which received $8,186; and Oquirrh Mountain Charter in Kaysville, which received $6,900.

“Our annual donation of $1 million to local schools demonstrates Smith’s commitment to education and our support for local communities’ schools, where today’s students become tomorrow’s educated workforce,” Mark Tuffin, president of Smith’s, said in a prepared statement.

The donation from Smith’s is unrestricted and schools may select the most appropriate use of the gift. Since 2000, Smith's has gifted a total of $15.4 million to schools in Utah, New Mexico, Nevada, Arizona, Wyoming, Idaho and Montana.