Bountiful » Rachel Jensen sometimes stuffed a dollar into collection boxes at grocery check-out stands, the money going to an organization she knew helped out the community, Primary Children's Medical Center.
What the Syracuse mother had no way of knowing was that even in a tough economic climate her dollars, combined with contributions from other shoppers at Smith's Food & Drug at 48 Utah stores and from Smith's employees, would add up to more than half a million dollars.
The astounding total is dear to Jensen's heart because in 2004, her 6-month-old son, Brandon, underwent a bone-marrow transplant at Primary Children's. To say "thank you" for the care that left Brandon, now 4, "perfectly" healthy, the Jensens recently collected their loose change for a year.
Even big sister Rebecca, now 6 and the donor for Brandon's transplant, donated money she made from doing chores because "she knew [Primary] saved her brother," Rachel Jensen said.
When the Jensens' $108 was added to the other contributions -- including money from Smith's employee fundraisers such as car washes and yard sales -- the grocery chain was able to collect about $537,000.
"Our expectations were far exceeded," said Marsha Gilford, Smith's vice president of public affairs, while standing Friday in the Bountiful store where the check was presented to Sharon Goodrich, the center's foundation director. "Even in today's economy, people are reaching deeply to help others."
The amount was $150,000 more than Smith's raised last year, Gilford noted.
About 60 percent of the donations came from shoppers and 40 percent from employees, she said, adding that the medical center got all of the cash. None was taken out to cover any expenses associated with the fundraising effort.
Donations such as these make it possible for all children to be treated, regardless of their parents ability to pay, said Goodrich.
"You can take the temperature of our economy in the emergency room," she said of caretakers who often don't have the money or insurance to treat their children's conditions before they escalate.
In 2007, Goodrich said the center spent about $8 million in charity care. Last year the figure was closer to $13 million.
Although the economy has made raising money more difficult, and the center has seen smaller dollar amounts being given, Goodrich said more people than usual are donating.
"We're thrilled. We're grateful that they're remembering the children."
Then Goodrich spotted an energetic Brandon Jensen playing and tugging on his father's hand at the Bountiful Smith's, where the family had presented her with a check made up of all the dollars and coins collected.
"You only have to look at a boy like that to be reminded that every penny is precious."
