Press Release: Coombs Outdoors Announces Partnership with 1% for the Planet
Coombs Outdoors Announces Partnership with 1% for the Planet
(JACKSON, WY, July 10, 2020) - Coombs Outdoors has recently joined 1% for the Planet as a nonprofit partner in steps to prioritize environmental stewardship within outdoor programs in Jackson, Wyoming.
1% for the Planet connects businesses and individuals who pledge to give 1% of their sales back to the planet each year with environmental nonprofits around the world. This partnership will help Coombs Outdoors connect with businesses and individuals in the outdoor industry who share the same values of promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion in outdoor spaces as well as creating the next generation of environmental stewards.
Coombs Outdoors serves 250 youth from low-income families in Teton County who experience socioeconomic and cultural barriers to outdoor recreation. Each summer, participants spend time on the trails in Grand Teton National Park and the Bridger-Teton National Forest, learning about the natural world around them and how to access the outdoors. Throughout the summer, kids participate in Leave No Trace workshops, practice navigating and using maps, and hike with local wilderness rangers who teach them about trail etiquette and the importance of public lands.
“Many kids discover the spectacular beauty of the natural world for the first time through Coombs programs. Environmental stewardship lessons are woven into the program curriculum so that kids begin to understand the fragility of the world and their role in being good stewards of the earth,” said Mary Erickson, Executive Director, Coombs Outdoors.
Coombs Outdoors primarily serves the Latinx workforce in Jackson, a population that has risen to over one third of the population in Teton County. “These kids are the next generation of environmental stewards,” said Erickson. “Recreation and stewardship go hand in hand and it’s our responsibility to give them the tools to care for this world as we introduce them to the amazing opportunities the outdoors have to offer.”
About 1% for the Planet
1% for the Planet is a global organization that connects dollars and doers to accelerate smart environmental giving. Through business and individual memberships, 1% for the Planet inspires people to support environmental organizations through annual membership and everyday actions. The organization advises on giving strategies, certifies donations and amplifies the impact of the network.
Started in 2002 by Yvon Chouinard, founder of Patagonia, and Craig Mathews, founder of Blue Ribbon Flies, their members have given more than $250 million to environmental nonprofits to date. Today, 1% for the Planet is a network of more than 3,000 business members, an expanding core of individual members and thousands of nonprofit partners in more than 90 countries.
About Coombs Outdoors
Jackson Hole is known for its natural beauty and world-class outdoor sports. However, there is a large population of children from low-income families who do not have access to the same opportunities as their peers. In an effort to create a healthy community where all our children thrive, Coombs Outdoors provides year-round outdoor programming for youth from Kindergarten through high school graduation.
Coombs Outdoors begins with basic instructional programs that introduce kids to a variety of activities to spark a passion for the outdoors, then adds a cohort-based mentoring component in middle school to help youth build deep relationships with their peers and trusted adults, and finally, works with high school youth to serve as mentors and coaches to younger kids, explore careers and college, and become passionate outdoor enthusiasts.
Coombs Outdoors’ goal is not to create world-class skiers or rock climbers, but to develop world-class people ready to embrace the future with confidence.
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