Snowbird Strengthens Support of Local Community with Launch of Play It Forward

July 10 2020

Snowbird, UT (July 8, 2020) — Snowbird today announced Play It Forward, a newly-launched employee and community-centric philanthropic platform designed to support the local community during COVID-19 and beyond. As part of Snowbird’s Play Forever corporate responsibility commitment to protecting the environment and enabling participation, Play It Forward engages charitable giving through partnerships with local community foundations.

Play It Forward’s first step is focused on helping to alleviate the impact of COVID-19, an effort anyone can contribute to through volunteering, carrying out small acts of kindness, providing items in need, and donating to Snowbird’s Play It Forward Fund. With administrative support from the Park City Community Foundation, Snowbird’s Play It Forward Fund allocates all dollars raised to local non-profits that are on the front lines serving the Wasatch Front communities. Snowbird’s first grant from the Play It Forward Fund, generously provided by the Cumming Foundation, and John and David Cumming, will be $100,000 to the Utah Food Bank.

“Play It Forward will not only help strengthen the local community as we navigate today’s uncertainty, but we have the opportunity to inspire others to follow our lead through our volunteer work and the contributions we are making to Play It Forward,” says Dave Fields, Snowbird President and General Manager. “The Utah Food Bank provides an invaluable service to Utah, their hard work and compassion for those they serve inspired Snowbird to help financially support their ongoing mission.”

Utah Food Bank is forecasting that an additional 165,000 individuals are facing food insecurity as a result of the COVID-19 fallout, and it will cost an estimated $6.5 million to meet this need. This is on top of the 374,000 Utahns who faced hunger prior to the crisis.

“Utah Food Bank cannot thank Snowbird and the Cumming family enough for their generosity during this difficult time,” said Ginette Bott, Utah Food Bank President & CEO. “This $100,000 donation will provide the equivalent of 388,333 meals for our neighbors facing hunger, and it comes at a time when so many individuals are unsure where to turn. This will have a huge impact on the Utahns who already faced hunger, in addition to the thousands who are turning to our services for the first time.”

Since 2006 Snowbird has donated the equivalent of 83,787 meals through the resort’s annual Customer Appreciation Days Food Drive.

Snowbird’s Play It Forward Fund was established with a $200,000 gift from the Cumming Foundation, and John and David Cumming. POWDR, an adventure lifestyle company founded by John Cumming, owns Snowbird and implemented Play It Forward Funds at its mountain resorts across North America. The family and foundation’s gifts, totaling $2.25M across the Funds, are in support of POWDR businesses helping their local communities in this tremendous time of need. Learn more at snowbird.com/play-it-forward.

For media information, contact Snowbird Communications Manager Brian Brown at bbrown@snowbird.com or 801-891-3496.