Billy Berler, billy.berler@sierraclub.org
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Just over one month after its launch, the One Million Kids Outdoors initiative has already helped connect 50,000 children with nature. More than 150 organizations have now joined the nationwide effort, building early momentum toward its goal of getting one million kids outdoors by next summer.
The Sierra Club’s Outdoors for All campaign hosts the national Outdoors Alliance for Kids, whose partners are participating in the One Million Kids Outdoors initiative to provide meaningful outdoor experiences for children. Since the initiative launched on June 24, participating organizations, including Sierra Club’s own volunteer-led outings groups, have helped drive the effort by connecting children with the outdoors and sharing stories from their communities.
“This milestone reflects the incredible work our partners across the country are already doing to connect young people with nature,” said Outdoors Alliance for Kids Campaign Manager Julia Hurwit. “Every one of these experiences gives a young person the chance to discover the joy and sense of belonging that can come with spending time outdoors. With more than 150 organizations now participating, we are building the momentum needed to reach one million kids by next summer.”
“Every child deserves the chance to spend time outdoors and experience the joy and confidence that can come with it,” said Sierra Club Outdoors for All Director Jackie Ostfeld. “The One Million Kids Outdoors Initiative is bringing together organizations across the country to elevate the impactful work being done to connect children with nature. By working together, we can make outdoor experiences a lasting part of every child’s life.”
The initiative comes as young people face growing mental and physical health challenges, and while many families still lack reliable access to parks and green space. One Million Kids Outdoors is helping expand those opportunities by strengthening and empowering the movement to scale programs and collaboration that connect children with nature.
The One Million Kids Outdoors initiative will continue through next summer and organizations can continue to join as supporting partners. Participants will also be contributing their impact and stories to an interactive map highlighting the outdoor experiences taking place across the country.
The following groups are supporters of this initiative: AAA Therapeutic Farm, A Thousand Summers, Adventure Risk Challenge, Allegheny-Blue Ridge Alliance, American Heart Association, American Hiking Society, Annapolis Area Community Boating Inc., AORE - Association of Outdoor Recreation and Education, Appalachian Mountain Club, Arkansas Department of Education, Association for Environmental and Outdoor Education (AEOE), Association for Nature-Based Education, Avid4 Adventure, Be The Light Global Inc. DBA Black Girls Hike Too, Believe In U-Camp FLO Program, Black Men Hike, Blue Sky Fund, Boulder Valley Inspiring Connections Outdoors, California Environmental Voters, Camp GEORGE, Celebrate Planet Earth, Chicago Adventure Therapy, Chicago Voyagers, Children & Nature Network, Climate Democracy Initiative, Colorado Alliance for Environmental Education, Conservation Nation, Cottonwood Institute, Cultivators Movement, Deer Lake Outdoor Center, Denver Urban Gardens, Detroit Outdoors, DR GW Carver Elementary /Richmond Hill Elementary, Dry Creek Beekeeping, Durham Ferry Outdoor Education Center, San Joaquin County Office of Education, Earth Charter Indiana, Elizabeth River Project, Endangered Species Coalition, Environmental Learning for Kids ELK, Evanston Child Development Center, Everlasting Education, EverWild Kids, Explorations of God's Creations, Explore Ecology, Field Institute of Taos, Field Trip Fridays, Friends of the Organ Mountains - Desert Peaks, Generation Wild, Generation Wild Greeley, Genesee Valley Outdoor Learning Center, Get Outside Bus, GirlTREK, GirlVentures, Green Schoolyards America, Hacienda El Portal Nature-Based Services, Healthy Parks Healthy Person TN, Healthy Schools Campaign, Hendricks County Garden Club, Hidden Villa, Hipcamp, Hitchcock Woods Foundation, Huellas Latinas, Inspiring Connections Outdoors Denver Group Sierra Club, Integrity Sustainable Planning and Design, Into The Wild Adventures, Jefferson Memorial Forest, Joe H. Madrid: Rise!, Julie's Dream, Justice Outside, KABOOM!, Kids In Nature, Kish Kids Outside, Lake County Parks and Recreation/Get Outdoors Leadville!, Latino Outdoors, Los Angeles Neighborhood Land Trust, Maine Environmental Education Association, Maine Huts & Trails, Mater Amoris Montessori School, Montana Conservation Corps, Mountain Mamas, Muddy Sneakers Outdoor Classroom, MyoutdoorJoy, MyPath, National Association of State Parks Directors, National Military Family Association, National Park Trust, National Recreation and Park Association, Natural Foundations, Nature for All, NatureBridge, Nevada Outdoor School, NEXT.cc STEAM by DESIGN ECO WEB, NJ School of Conservation, North American Association for Environmental Education, Northwest Youth Corps, NYC Parks - Staten Island Greenbelt, Oakland Goes Outdoors, Ocean Discovery Institute, Outside.app, Outward Bound USA, Palm Beach County (FL) Inspiring Connections Outdoors, People & Pollinators Action Network, Priceless Education, Railyard Park Conservancy, Refugee Education & Adventure Challenge (REACH), Refugee Women's Network, REI Co-op, Remagination Farm, Reno Inspiring Connections Outdoors, Restorative Places, Rochester Ecology Partners, Rolla Outdoor Collaborative School, Safe Routes Partnership, Salted Roots, Say Yes to Recess, SEI, Sierra Club, Sierra Club CT Chapter, Sierra Club Michigan, Sierra Club Pennsylvania Chapter, Soaring Into The Wilderness Inc, SOS Outreach, Story Walking Radio Hour, SubjectToClimate, Sunny Stella™, SvenoShine Teen Coaching, Ten Strands, Texas Children in Nature Network, The ClearWater Futures Foundation, The Mountaineers, The Nuhop Center for Experiential Learning, The Way Back Project, The Wilderness Society, The Woods Project, The Xerces Society, Thrive Outside, Tiny Green Learning, Todos Together, Together for Brothers (T4B), TOTAL NM, Un Mar de Colores, Ventura County Farm to School, Washington Trails Association, Western Hills Garden, Wilderness Inquiry, Wilderness Louisville, Wildward Institute, Winter Wildlands Alliance, Winter4Kids, YMCA of the USA, Young Legacies Inc., and Youth ASCENT.
About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with millions of members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.