SALT LAKE CITY — A charitable foundation has distributed more than $500,000 to numerous nonprofit organizations serving Salt Lake City’s west side, an initiative aimed at countering some of the disparities impacting the area.
“There are just tremendous needs,” said Julie Ramos, managing director of the Larry H. & Gail Miller Family Foundation, which distributed the funds as part of its Westside Community Grants initiative.
The foundation, the charitable arm of the Larry H. Miller Company — involved in efforts to lure a Major League Baseball team to the west side — announced the efforts focused on the area last October. This week, the organization said the program had so far resulted in granting more than $500,000 to more than 38 groups aiding west side neighborhoods like Rose Park, Poplar Grove and Glendale.
While the foundation aids a broad range of charitable organizations in Utah, it aims to be “far more intentional” in aiding the west side through the Westside Community Grants program, Ramos said. She noted “very stark discrepancies” between the west side and more affluent East Bench area of Salt Lake City. Moreover, she said, the foundation namesakes, Larry and Gail Miller, grew up on the west side and want to see the area thrive.
“This grant has been a catalyst for transformation not only in our organization but in our surrounding community,” said Sheena Alaiasa, director of the Pacific Heritage Academy, a charter school that received a Westside grant.
Intermountain Health collaborated with the Miller Family Foundation, providing an additional $175,000 for 17 west side organizations. “Our shared commitment to addressing social drivers of health and improving access to care is vital for fostering healthier, more resilient communities,” Lisa Nichols, the Intermountain vice president of community health, said in a statement.
Among the organizations receiving Miller Family Foundation funding were Centro Civico Mexicano, Comunidad Materna, Club Ability and Suazo Business Center.
The foundation has also committed $22 million to community redevelopment efforts in Salt Lake City’s Ballpark neighborhood, among other efforts. The Larry. H Miller Company, meantime, is involved in efforts to draw a Major League Baseball team to Salt Lake City, which would be housed on the west side if plans come to fruition.
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