By Bridget Raymundo | [email protected]

On Jan. 10, the Millcreek City Council gathered to discuss and vote on a financial contribution to Canyon Rim Cares of up to $10,000. Canyon Rim Cares is a subcommittee for the Canyon Rims Citizens Association for the “Millcreek Miracle” campaign.

“Nate Gibby who has pulled this together has an impressive record as a Millcreek volunteer,” Mayor Jeff Silvestrini said. “He has organized a number of different projects that have benefitted broad segments of our community.”

Gibby has organized service projects to assemble refugee hygiene kits, clothing drives, and fundraising for internet essentials in cooperation with Comcast. He is a co-creator in the Millcreek community according to Silvestrini. Gibby associates closely with the Millcreek business council in the progress of his initiative.

The business directory of local businesses in alliance with Canyon Rims Cares will be displayed on the Millcreek website and the Canyon Rim Cares website. The “Millcreek Miracle” campaign is similar to the LEED certification, which indicates buildings that create healthy, highly efficient, cost-saving green buildings, because both check to see that the candidates fit the criteria of being beneficial to the community. 

According to Bonneville Research’s report, "The Millcreek Miracle campaign facilitates the engagement of local businesses, residents, and nonprofit organizations to increase the revenues of local businesses while providing opportunities for both businesses and residents to increase their community involvement. The ‘miracle’ occurs when local sales tax dollars improve community resources (e.g., parks, streetlights, snow removal, infrastructure improvements, etc.) and more people become involved in important causes that provide an immeasurable benefit to our community.”

The Canyon Rim Cares criteria is designed to be achievable for local businesses willing to participate. It helps to make sure the business is supported and the money circulation stays in Millcreek City. The partnership provides mutual benefit and helps the local economy in Millcreek.

Businesses who choose to get the certification will not be required to financially support the campaign. The money provided by Millcreek City in this contribution is expected to fund and promote the campaign. The funds will also go toward supporting the youth council, hiring locals, website development, decals for businesses, promotional material to get businesses to learn of the program and, perhaps, even banners on lamp posts. The grant was approved and is guaranteed for up to $10,000 yet it is not certain the full total of the funds awarded will be necessary. This contribution is different from the regular funding Canyon Rim receives since it does not depend on community councils and is therefore simpler to manage.

The program will not be specific to Canyon Rim, but rather the whole of the city. However, the 501(c)(3) of the organization platform is in Canyon Rim. Certification with Canyon Rims Cares will be awarded at different levels: bronze, silver, and gold.

Millcreek City requested Bonneville Research to rigorously review the effects of the funding before providing the nonprofit grant. They concluded in their report released on Dec. 6, 2021 the fund would be for the best interest of the city and so, justified under state law.

After over a year of discussing the program, now more businesses will have the opportunity to feel involved and create relationships of support from the local community.

“[The program funding is] a way to help Millcreek businesses feel involved in the community and the community to feel involved with our businesses and to create a relationship of support,” said Cheri Jackson, councilmember for District 3.