PARTNERSHIP SPOTLIGHT

How Rancho Markets’ roundup program invests in Utah families—one checkout at a time.

Cities Strong Foundation | June 2026

There is something quietly powerful about rounding up to the nearest dollar. It costs most shoppers a matter of cents. But multiplied across nine stores, thousands of transactions, and the kind of customer loyalty that Eli Madrigal spent two decades earning—it adds up to something remarkable.

Rancho Markets is one of Cities Strong Foundation’s most important community partners. Through Rancho’s register roundup program, customers choose to round up their purchase to the nearest dollar, with the difference flowing directly to Cities Strong Foundation and the ecosystem of neighbors, volunteers, and nonprofits we support across the Wasatch Front. It is one of the most concrete examples we know of a business putting its values to work at the point of sale, every single day.

Founded in 2006 by Eli Madrigal—who began her career as a grocery bagger and built Rancho into a thriving ten-store chain—Rancho Markets has long understood that its mission extends beyond the produce aisle. Quality, community, affordability, and diversity are not marketing words at Rancho. They are the operating principles behind every decision Eli and her team make.

WHERE YOUR ROUNDUP GOES

Cities Strong Foundation is an Utah 501(c)(3) that operates a collective impact model across seven Wasatch Front cities. We convene city governments, businesses, volunteers, schools, and nonprofits around a single goal: strengthening the neighborhoods that need it most, block by block. Every dollar raised through the Rancho Markets roundup flows into one or more of the following programs:

Neighborhood Hubs myHometown Utah runs 17+ Community Resource Centers where neighbors help neighbors learn, grow, and connect. We fund the equipment that makes learning real—sewing machines, keyboards, and tools for hands-on skill building.

Days of Service Volunteers come together to spruce up yards, tackle repairs, and beautify parks. We cover the hard costs—supplies, equipment, and logistics—so 19,800+ volunteers can do the work they show up to do.

Leadership in Schools The Leader in Me program, delivered in partnership with FranklinCovey, builds student leadership from the inside out. We also support literacy programs and in-school volunteering across Wasatch Front Title I schools.

Stable Homes Good Samaritan Foundation steps in when neighbors hit hard times—covering emergency housing, healthcare, and transportation bills while case managers build long-term plans, funded in partnership with Intermountain Health.

Welcoming New Neighbors NOMAS legal clinics provide free consultations from licensed attorneys to neighbors with established legal pathways. Cities Strong Foundation offsets the filing fees that otherwise stand between families and a fresh start.

Thriving Neighborhoods Match When cities or businesses invest a dollar in their community, we match it—multiplying impact and stretching every contribution further than it could go alone.

THE NUMBERS BEHIND THE MISSION

19,800+ volunteers engaged, contributing more than 250,000 hours of community service across our partner cities.

841 neighborhood revitalization projects completed through Days of Service, improving homes, parks, and community spaces.

13,991 students served through neighborhood hubs, with ongoing education, mentorship, and life-skills programming.

3,000 students participating in Leader in Me, with major expansion planned across Utah in 2026 and 2027.

575+ immigration legal cases filed, representing $178,000 in pro bono legal service through community clinics.

130 households stabilized through $172,000 in emergency assistance, with active case management and long-term outcome tracking.

Rancho Markets serves communities across West Valley City, Kearns, Provo, Magna, Ogden, Millcreek, Clearfield, and Salt Lake City—exactly the communities Cities Strong Foundation is built to serve. Places where the gap between struggle and stability can be bridged by the right resources, the right relationships, and a little rounding up.

We are grateful to Eli Madrigal, the Rancho Markets team, and every customer who chooses to round up. You are not just buying groceries. You are investing in the neighbor you haven’t met yet, the student who will lead someday, and the family that just needs one steady hand extended their direction.

That is what Cities Strong is for. That is what this partnership is about.

Round up at any Rancho Markets location. Visit any of Rancho’s nine Utah stores and choose to round up at checkout. Learn more at www.ranchomarkets.com