The statewide effort hoping to raise millions of dollars to help youth sports programs

SALT LAKE CITY — Sports can teach lessons that last a lifetime, but for many Utah families, rising costs are making it harder for kids to get in the game. A new statewide effort hopes to change that by raising millions of dollars to help youth sports programs and remove barriers to participation across Utah.

Michelle Smith, the President of Miller Sports and Entertainment, shared details about Utah Youth Sports Giving Day, which officially launches September 12 and runs for two weeks. More than 140 nonprofits from across the state are participating.

"You can even go on now and start browsing all," Smith said.

A big part of the campaign is a matching program funded by community partners.

"We have been able to work with the Larry H. and Gail Miller Family Foundation, as well as the Daniels Fund," Smith said. "We've been able to already raise $1.5 million, so we will match that and hope to get to $3 million through community donations over the next two weeks."

Smith explained that the campaign encourages participation from families and children as well as larger donors.

"It could be movement for one community, it could be connection for another," she said.

Donations can be made through the campaign website, utahyouthsportsgivingday.com.

This story was adapted from a TV broadcast script using artificial intelligence. Every story, including those adapted with AI, is reviewed by a human editor before publication to ensure that KSL's editorial standards are upheld.