Empower Heroes: Fund Freedom Trek's 501c3 Journey

Hello everyone. My name is Michael Reese. I am a veteran of the United States Army. For the past 7-8 years, I've been providing backcountry hikes to our nation's heroes, first responders, their family, and friends in the Grand Canyon. I've been fortunate enough to do this through my own funding and logistics over the years, but now it's time to grow and become a full-fledged 501c3 charity. To do what I've envisioned and dreamed about requires funding for filing 501c3 status. Yes, nonprofits require money and I can't do it on my own. I have assembled a fantastic team of like-minded individuals (veterans, first responders, their family members) that have all participated in one of these hikes. I'm rolling the dice and asking for your help. My dream is to have a team to keep performing these hikes in the Grand Canyon and other beautiful areas around the country. So now I introduce and welcome you to: "Freedom Trek Expeditions"

"To empower our nation's heroes, their families, and friends through transformative outdoor adventure experiences. We promote physical and mental well-being, build lasting connections, and honor their service to our country through camaraderie, education, and direct participation in hiking and camping."

Where I began. I started my journey based on a conversation with a friend, a multiple Purple Heart recipient. This gentleman was always up for a physical challenge. And at this time we were at the Bataan Memorial Death March in White Sands, New Mexico. 26.2 miles of open high desert carrying a minimum of 35lbs of weight. Not including water. This friend, knowing I was from Arizona, challenged me to set up a hike in one of the wonders of the world. The vast and open Grand Canyon. That year, as I was researching the logistics, we lost this friend in a tragic accident. To keep his idea/dream alive, I carried on. And now, years later, I've been able to accomplish 2-3 hikes a year, empowering more than 50 individuals on my own.

Thank you, at a minimum, for reading this story.