PARK CITY, Utah — The Rip Line Foundation, a Park City-based nonprofit, is turning outdoor recreation into a tool to fight child hunger — and it's already halfway to its goal of providing 1 million meals in 2026.
The concept is straightforward: participants visit riplinefoundation.org and pledge to run, bike, hike, climb, or take part in any outdoor physical activity. They then recruit family and friends to become donation sponsors. As miles are logged, those sponsors contribute funds that go directly toward feeding children.
"It's a no-brainer," board member Beth Armstrong said.
Armstrong, a former track athlete, said the foundation taps into something Utahns already love to do. "Besides being something that makes you feel really good about what you're doing, and it feels important, it feels like that one more thing that we could do even when we're out having fun, we're raising money," Armstrong said.
The financial impact of each dollar raised is significant. For every $1 donated, the foundation can generate 10 meals for children.
The level of community support the organization receives does not surprise members of the board. "No, I'm not shocked. Utah is a very generous state when it comes to charitable giving. Given the fact that this is associated with having fun and doing something fun, it's sort of like killing two birds with one stone," board member Bob Mercer said.
100 percent of the money raised goes to organizations that fight hunger.
Tina Murray from Smith's joined FOX 13 to present Armstrong and Mercer with the Zero Hunger Hero Award on behalf of Smith's.
To learn more about the Rip Line Foundation or to sign up to get outdoors for a cause, visit riplinefoundation.org.