SEG Foundation hopes Utah’s ‘Pay It Forward Day’ becomes a tradition of kindness

PROVO — At a time when the world often feels divided, Ashley Smith believed Utah can lead with something simple: kindness.

Smith, co-founder of the SEG Foundation and co-owner of the Utah Jazz and Utah Mammoth with her husband Ryan, said the power of sports has always gone far beyond wins and losses.

“We love sports. Obviously,” she said. “We love the unity that happens. We love having something to come together about and get excited about. But the biggest and best part of sports for me is the microphone and the amount of good we’re able to do.”

That microphone, she believed, is best used to spotlight the good Utahns already do every day.

“What we knew coming into these teams, but didn’t know enough, was how great Utah actually is at showing up and helping each other and being there for each other,” Smith said. “It’s an incredible place to live for those reasons. We win awards in those ways every year, right? We’re such a state of community and love, and so this is a way to highlight that.”

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Last year, the SEG Foundation launched its first “Pay It Forward Day.” It’s a simple movement encouraging Utahns to brighten someone else’s day through small, unexpected acts of kindness.

Smith, athletes, staff and partners quietly paid for groceries, gas, meals and other everyday essentials, surprising hundreds, if not thousands, of people across the state.

This year, the special day is planned for Tuesday, Dec. 9.

“Doing good makes me feel good personally. It makes us feel good. It makes Utah better,” she said. “That’s why I love this state, because it’s full of people who want to give back to the community.”

In a year where polarization dominates so much of public life, Smith said kindness is one of the few things everyone can agree on.

For Smith, kindness isn’t just about generosity, it’s about developing a habit.

“It’s so great to build that muscle of looking outside of ourselves. Life is hard. Life is always going to be hard,” she said. “How great would it be if our go-to move when we’re having a hard day was go help somebody else and get out of our own way?”

That “muscle memory,” as she put it, is something she wants to pass along to her children.

Last year, she didn’t bring them to her Foundation’s “Pay It Forward Day.” She didn’t realize how meaningful the day would be until she got home.

“I had such a great day, and I cannot believe how much I regretted not having my children with me,” she said. “That night I told them all the stories and now this year my kids are so excited.”

For her family, and she hopes for many other families, the day is becoming something of a tradition.

“I love the idea of a tradition and something that continually grows. People want to help each other. People are dying for ways to help each other. That’s what is so great about where we live,” Smith said.

While some volunteers bought groceries or paid for gas, Smith said the movement isn’t about money.

It’s about noticing people and being kind to them.

“Hold a door. Write a note. Say the compliment that you thought as you passed someone. Leave treats for your UPS driver. Anything you can do to brighten someone else’s day is going to also brighten yours,” she said.

Even the tiniest gestures can make someone feel seen.

“I have one neighbor who consistently waves every time,” Smith said with a smile. “I love passing that neighbor in the car. So, I want to be that neighbor. Let’s all be that neighbor. Wave every time. Say the compliment. Write the text, write the note, open the door. Pay for somebody in a drive-through behind you. It’s beautiful.”

This year’s “Pay It Forward Day” spans the entire state.

The SEG Foundation is getting help from its partners to try and spread acts of kindness throughout Utah.

“We’re going to police stations and fire stations and pet shelters, grocery stores (and) gas stations. It’s so exciting. It just feels good to watch everybody want to give,” said Smith.

The Foundation is encouraging Utahns to share their acts of kindness online using the hashtag #PayItForwardUtah, something Smith laughs about, admitting she’s “not a huge social media fan.”

But in this case?

“If we’re going to have social media, why not use it to promote goodness and kindness and the awesome things that are already happening? I love that,” she said.

More than anything, Smith hopes the day becomes a reminder of who Utahns already are and who they want to be.

Because in a world where everyone is dealing with something, Smith said the smallest act of kindness can be the spark that changes a day or even a life. Even if it’s just a smile.