Tax deductible
Dear Friends:
I am raising money for a three day camping trip for 20 under privileged youth (many who have never been out in nature) who will get the chance to experience nature, work on life skills, and learn ways of coping and growing as individuals.
To make this trip possible, we have estimated a budget of $4,490. ($1,720 for Camping Supplies, $520 for Food Prep, $1,365 for Food, and $885 for Misc. Fees and Transportation).
This trip is being led by Counselor Justan Torres as a part of The Coalition for Engaged Education, a nonprofit organization that stands for the rights of our most vulnerable youth to realize their full potential through relationships that treat them with dignity and respect. Read more about our mission at https://www.c-youth.org.
________________
By donating any amount, you will be supporting these children in their journey in Angeles National Forest.
A message from leader Justan Torres:
My name is Justan Torres and I’m the lead counselor leading our August camping trip. I have a lot of experience leading youth groups with camping, hiking, and outdoor education. I received my bachelor’s and master’s at Cal State University of Los Angeles in social work. During grad school I began to reconnect with the outdoors utilizing it as a medium to decompress and ground myself. I found myself visiting trails and mountains all across California learning about the plants, animals, ecosystem, and ways of our first nations people.
Post graduate school I worked as a Naturalist for Community Nature Connection where I led youth on hikes and camping trips educating them on the outdoor environment and engaging them in team building activities.
I started a local hiking group call 818Hikes aimed at not just hiking but educating and connecting people to nature in an effort to build community and advocate for environmental justice. We have been featured in the Daily News, ABC 7, and National Public Radio, see attached links:
https://www.dailynews.com/2018/12/24/these-young-hikers-want-to-get-low-income-valleycommunities-outside/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=azXk0UOUNeE
https://www.scpr.org/programs/take-two/2019/02/04/19395/
Camping can often be a transformative experience for youth. It offers an opportunity to be out of their element and away from the anxiety that the city brings. Several adults who had been formally incarcerated as minors shared that in large, they were able to break the cycle of recidivism by being exposed to new environments and opportunities that were experienced away from the triggers in their communities.
I am raising money for a three day camping trip for 20 under privileged youth (many who have never been out in nature) who will get the chance to experience nature, work on life skills, and learn ways of coping and growing as individuals.
To make this trip possible, we have estimated a budget of $4,490. ($1,720 for Camping Supplies, $520 for Food Prep, $1,365 for Food, and $885 for Misc. Fees and Transportation).
This trip is being led by Counselor Justan Torres as a part of The Coalition for Engaged Education, a nonprofit organization that stands for the rights of our most vulnerable youth to realize their full potential through relationships that treat them with dignity and respect. Read more about our mission at https://www.c-youth.org.
________________
By donating any amount, you will be supporting these children in their journey in Angeles National Forest.
A message from leader Justan Torres:
My name is Justan Torres and I’m the lead counselor leading our August camping trip. I have a lot of experience leading youth groups with camping, hiking, and outdoor education. I received my bachelor’s and master’s at Cal State University of Los Angeles in social work. During grad school I began to reconnect with the outdoors utilizing it as a medium to decompress and ground myself. I found myself visiting trails and mountains all across California learning about the plants, animals, ecosystem, and ways of our first nations people.
Post graduate school I worked as a Naturalist for Community Nature Connection where I led youth on hikes and camping trips educating them on the outdoor environment and engaging them in team building activities.
I started a local hiking group call 818Hikes aimed at not just hiking but educating and connecting people to nature in an effort to build community and advocate for environmental justice. We have been featured in the Daily News, ABC 7, and National Public Radio, see attached links:
https://www.dailynews.com/2018/12/24/these-young-hikers-want-to-get-low-income-valleycommunities-outside/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=azXk0UOUNeE
https://www.scpr.org/programs/take-two/2019/02/04/19395/
Camping can often be a transformative experience for youth. It offers an opportunity to be out of their element and away from the anxiety that the city brings. Several adults who had been formally incarcerated as minors shared that in large, they were able to break the cycle of recidivism by being exposed to new environments and opportunities that were experienced away from the triggers in their communities.
Co-organizers (2)
Maddie Bill
Organizer
Santa Monica, CA
Coalition for Engaged Education
Beneficiary
Jamurl Scott
Co-organizer