Help Keep Public Pools Open!

On Valentine’s Day, Save Mart Supermarkets announced the “Help Save Mart Save Our Pools” campaign.  Save Mart has pledged to match up to $500,000 in donations from businesses and the community at large, thus potentially making $1 million dollars available to support pool maintenance and programs within the City of Sacramento and keep at least 6 out of 12 of our swimming pools open and all of our wading pools open this summer.  Another $500,000 raised would be enough to keep all pools open.

Over the past several years, the City of Sacramento has continued to make severe budget cuts that have included drastically reducing hours and or closing most of our city pools.  In East Sac and River Park, the community stepped up and raised several thousand dollars to help keep Glenn Hall pool and Bertha Henschel wading pool open.  Now, with another long hot summer approaching, I am grateful that Save Mart has stepped up to help our neighborhood kids enjoy their community pools.

Save Mart has kicked-off  its community fund-raising campaign in partnership with the City of Sacramento.  Businesses and the community at large are asked to give generously.  The campaign will run for two months from February 14 to April 10, ending just in time for the City to begin maintenance needed for the pools to open on time.

There are several ways you can donate:

• At Save Mart and FoodMaxx stores – Purchase a paper “Help Save Mart Save Our Pools” icon for $1.00 or more inside Sacramento Save Mart and FoodMaxx stores.  Donors can write their name or any message on their icon, which will be displayed in the store where they donated. Visitwww.savemart.com/saveourpools for participating store list

• Look for specially marked “Save Our Pools” items throughout the store. Purchasing these items shows support for our partners who have donated to help save Sacramento community pools.

• Text to donate – Text POOLS to 80888 to make a $10 donation

(Available to AT&T and T-Mobile customers now; Sprint and Verizon customers in March.)

• Online – Go to www.savemart.com/saveourpools to donate any amount via PayPal or go directly to the Gifts to Share, Inc., website (non-profit organization administered by the City) and donate using your credit card:https://npo.networkforgood.org/Donate/Donate.aspx?npoSubscriptionId=1001163

• Facebook donations – Save Mart will donate $5 per “Like” from February 28 – March 13, 2012 (www.facebook.com/mysavemart)

• Business donors and/or sponsors can contact Alicia Rockwell at arockwell@savemart.com  for information on available sponsorship opportunities that include exposure throughout the campaign and in the community. Business sponsorship information is also available at www.savemart.com/saveourpools. All corporate donations by check will be made through Save Mart CARES – Community, Arts, Recreation, Education, Sports. Save Mart CARES is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization that supports nonprofit charitable groups and programs in California’s Central Valley.