For Immediate Release
July 31, 2017
Contact:
Eric Raymond, The North Face, 510-748-2714, eric_raymond@vfc.com
Grace Lee; National Park Trust, 301-279-7275, ext 14, grace@parktrust.org
National Park Trust, Outdoors Alliance for Kids Receive The North Face 2017 Explore Fund Grant
Groups expand access to the outdoors for 4th graders, military kids, advance Every Kid In A Park
Washington, D.C. – National Park Trust (NPT) and Outdoors Alliance for Kids (OAK) are pleased to announce that The North Face has awarded a $20,000 2017 Explore Fund grant to benefit NPT’s national Buddy Bison School Program. The Buddy Bison Program was created in 2009 with the goal of getting kids from under-served communities engaged with our nation’s parks and public lands.
Hundreds of 4th graders from Title I schools , will kick off the third year of the federal Every Kid in a Park program in 3 cities including Washington, D.C., New York City, and San Francisco. They will participate in marquee events at national parks with The North Face, National Park Trust, OAK, and partners and be welcomed into the Buddy Bison Program which provides park experiences throughout the year promoting 1) health and wellness through outdoor recreation; 2) education using parks as outdoor classrooms for STEM, history and social studies; and 3) park stewardship through volunteer and career opportunities.
“The Outdoors Alliance for Kids supports the Every Kid in a Park program to ensure all fourth graders and their families are encouraged to visit America’s parks and public lands,” said Jackie Ostfeld, Founder and Chair of the Outdoors Alliance for Kids. “We’re honored and thankful that The North Face has made such an important investment to ensure more and more children are able to have a park experience, and we look forward to growing our partnership. Private investments in the national Every Kid in a Park program are nearing the $5 million mark in just the first few years and contributions like this one from The North Face demonstrate the value the private sector places on the program.”
In addition to the 4th graders from Washington, D.C., New York City, and San Francisco, the Explore Funds awarded to NPT and OAK also provides support for military kids from Scott Air Force Base located in Saint Clair County, Illinois by connecting them to their nearby national park — the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial in St Louis, Missouri. This new partnership with the Department of Defense is designed to help students discover local parks in their new communities as military families are relocated from one base to another.
“We are delighted to partner with The North Face and Outdoors Alliance for Kids to provide national park experiences for hundreds of diverse youth. For many of these students, this is their very first park trip, but after a fun and action-packed day, they are eager to return again and again and create even more memories with their friends and family. These young people are our future outdoor enthusiasts and stewards of these iconic treasures,” stated Grace Lee, Executive Director of National Park Trust.
The North Face selected a total of 43 nonprofits that create opportunities for people to develop a passion for the outdoors and desire to care for local parks and public lands. Selected programs use outdoor exploration as a catalyst for positive personal or societal change, to encourage healthy lifestyles, and promote environmental stewardship.
“A desire and willingness to explore and care for our outdoor playgrounds is part of our brand DNA,” said Ann Krcik, senior director of Outdoor Exploration at The North Face. “We are proud to support these outstanding programs that expose participants to benefits of the outdoors. Through The North Face Explore Fund grants, we are building a community of outdoor explorers and inspiring people to love and protect the places where we play.”
As part of its mission to start a global movement of outdoor exploration, The North Face introduced Explore Fund (www.explorefund.org) in 2010 and the program has since provided more than $2.75 million in grants to organizations committed to inspiring people to explore the outdoors and care for the environment.
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About The North Face®
The North Face, a division of VF Outdoor, Inc., was founded in 1966. Headquartered in Alameda, California, the company offers the most technically advanced products in the market to accomplished climbers, mountaineers, snowsport athletes, endurance athletes, and explorers. The company’s products are sold in specialty mountaineering, backpacking, running, and snowsport retailers, premium-sporting goods retailers and major outdoor specialty retail chains.
About National Park Trust
National Park Trust, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, is dedicated to preserving parks today and creating park stewards for tomorrow. Established in 1983, NPT has completed park preservation projects benefiting 49 national parks and other public lands in 33 states and Washington, D.C. Since 2009, NPT’s Buddy Bison School Program and national Kids to Parks Day have engaged 3,000,000 students across the country with our national parks, public lands and waters. www.parktrust.org
About the Outdoors Alliance for Kids (OAK)
OAK is a national strategic partnership of organizations from diverse sectors with a common interest in connecting children, youth and families with the outdoors. The members of OAK are brought together by the belief that the wellness of current and future generations, the health of our planet and communities and the economy of the future depend on humans having a personal, direct and life-long relationship with nature and the outdoors. OAK brings together nearly 100 businesses and organizations to address the growing divide between children, youth and the outdoors.
Outdoors Alliance for Kids 