SALT LAKE CITY — Some Utah nonprofits are getting an unexpected cash boost thanks to a group of concert venues run by business partners who want to give back.
If you've been to a live performance put on by The State Room Presents this year, part of your ticket is going to three local nonprofit groups.
The idea is the brainchild of founders Darrin Piccoli and Chris Mautz.
Since opening The State Room nearly 15 years ago, they added the Commonwealth room in South Salt Lake, book artists for the Deer Valley concert series and in 2021, started the Fort Desolation music festival near Capitol Reef.
“It’s really cool to see Salt Lake have such a thriving, independent music industry," explained Kylie Fitch, Marketing Director for the company.
After their business survived the COVID-19 pandemic, Piccoli decided he wanted to find a way to share the wealth.
“People really band together around live music," Fitch remarked. "It’s a huge part of people expelling the stress of their day or their life and it’s such a source of joy.”
So the company decided that for every ticket sold at any venue, one dollar would go towards helping a nonprofit.
“It’s a fun initiative, it shows that we care, it shows that we’re listening and that we’re invested in our community and that we want to be a part of a cyclical process of everybody taking care of everybody,” Fitch said.
After the first quarter of the year, they counted the cash and divided it up among three nonprofits.
“Somewhere around the $11,000 mark and we divided it up across three local nonprofits," Fitch said. "Planned Parenthood of Utah, the Bicycle Collective and Urban Crossroads.”
Glenn Bailey runs Salt Lake's Crossroads Urban Center, which helps individuals who are unsheltered and dealing with food insecurity. He said the unexpected donation is almost like the biblical "manna from heaven."
“It’s the kind of fundraiser that’s perfect, really," Bailey said. "I mean somebody is raising money for you and you’re not expected to work your tail off to get it, you can just have it for the program you’re operating which is great!”
Most of the cash they received will go to the food pantry, where demand is very high, Bailey said.
As the second quarter just wrapped up, The State Room Presents is now counting up the proceeds and will soon announce what local nonprofits will receive a donation.
