State's mailing bureau sending masks for 'A Mask for Every Utahn' project

In response to the coronavirus pandemic, State Mail & Distribution Services (SMDS), which is an agency of the Utah Division of Purchasing and General Services, has joined forces with the Utah Manufacturers Association to mail face masks to Utah residents as part of the “A Mask for Every Utahn” project.

“I am proud to be a part of a significant project that has the potential to benefit many residents of Utah,” said Andy Wright, program manager at State Mail & Distribution Services.

State mail employees, state of Utah volunteers, members of the Utah National Guard, missionaries from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and employees of Elwood Staffing are donating their time to fulfill requests from Utah citizens for masks.

By June 2, the mask program had received 238,660 orders for over a million masks. The programs has mailed or is ready to mail 570,00 masks.

SMDS is providing mail preparation and distribution services to state agencies, cities and special service districts between Ogden and Spanish Fork. Fulfillment services for the program include intelligent inserting, automated inserting, folding, tabbing, address printing, presorting and mail design.

Masks are also being distributed to first responders through the state’s emergency management offices.

“It has been a great opportunity to help the people of Utah through a difficult time,” said Scott Sutherland, general services manager at SMDS.