Elevate Youth Awarded Patagonia Cambridge Grant of $15,000
Boston, MA February 3, 2020 -- Local nonprofit Elevate Youth announced it has been awarded a grant of $15,000 from Patagonia Cambridge, the newest retail store for the outdoor industry leader. Elevate Youth is the first organization to receive a retail grant from Patagonia Cambridge.
Funding for this grant comes directly from Patagonia’s retail sales. Patagonia donates to hundreds of grassroots organizations every year as part of their self imposed “Earth Tax.” The Earth Tax is Patagonia’s way of offsetting any negative effects of their business, which uses resources to run and inevitably produces waste, impacting the environment. By giving to organizations like Elevate Youth, Patagonia is directly investing in the next generation of environmental stewards and activists.
The grant will be used to support Elevate Youth’s Outdoor Programs, which provide programming for approximately 350 underserved youth in Boston. Kids who take part in Elevate Youth’s programs have the opportunity to go on a different outdoor trip every month. In the process, they are able to learn about outdoor recreation and explore different natural areas outside of the city. A typical outing might be a hiking trip to the Blue Hills, a ski day at Wachusett Mountain, an afternoon kayaking on the Mystic River, and beyond.
“We are humbled and inspired by the continued support of Patagonia. Patagonia has been an integral partner not only with financial support, but also with awareness and spreading our mission with their networks. They are truly committed to making an impact on the lives of the youth we serve and breaking down barriers of access to the outdoors.” -- Alec Griswold, Founder & Executive Director of Elevate Youth.
“Thank you for being such a tremendous group to work with and we are beyond excited for the partnership we've developed over the last few months,” said Patagonia Cambridge Store Manager, Jay Kleman. “We’re looking forward to getting staff to lend direct support and volunteer in 2020!”
