5 Giving Tuesday Deals for Trail Lovers
Note: This article was originally published on The Trek and can be found at the link here.
Social media is a great tool for sharing stories and spreading awareness of important causes. But let’s face it: one of the best ways to support organizations and causes you care about is with cold, hard cash. Giving Tuesday is a breath of fresh air between the consumerism and rigamarole of the holidays, so take this opportunity to support an organization that shares your values. Scroll on to see what’s happening today in the outdoor community and where your dollar will go twice as far.
The Sawyer Foundation
Sawyer Products matching all donations!
Currently, over 2.2 billion people lack basic access to clean drinking water. Yes, that’s billion with a B. Using the exact same filters hikers use on trail, Sawyer teams up with over 140 charity partners across 80+ countries to help provide a sustainable solution to the global water crisis. Every purchase of a Sawyer Product contributes to clean water initiatives.
Want to learn more about the impact your donation will have? Check out Sawyer’s clean water projects through the lens of talented outdoor creatives including Dan Becker, Miranda Goes Outside, Jennifer Pharr Davis, and more.
Leave No Trace
Startpage matching all donations!
Is it important to you to protect the environment for generations to come? Supporting Leave No Trace is a simple way to help ensure that all people know how to care for the land. If you needed another reason to love this stellar organization, as a part of their Training For All Program they released LNT 101 earlier this year which was a major step forward for accessibility of their curriculum.
Want to hear some wild statistics that will blow your mind and have you reaching for your wallet? A person trained in Leave No Trace is 5x more likely to protect nature, and those trained in Leave No Trace go on to educate 256 more people in their lifetime.
Appalachian Trail Conservancy
The ATC’s Board of Directors matching all donations!
If you’re looking for a traditional trail organization to support, look no further than the Appalachian Trail Conservancy. This year, their Board of Directors has pledged to double all donations made on Giving Tuesday, meaning your dollar will go twice the distance. Your donation to the ATC will support work from Georgia to Maine, managing the treadway and features of the trail, providing critical educational programs, and supporting trail clubs.
Pacific Crest Trail Association
Goal of $20,000!
You didn’t think we’d leave out the West Coast, did you? The Pacific Crest Trail Alliance has been supporting the trail for almost 50 years through stewardship, community involvement, resources for hikers, and more. In their own words, the PCTA describes itself as “an eclectic band of trail junkies who champion the needs” of the trail through preservation, protection, and promotion.
Responsible Stewardship
Based on my personal stomping grounds of the Southern Appalachians, Responsible Stewardship is an all-volunteer-based nonprofit that has shown up in big ways for the trail community. The RS rock stars lead by example from Trail Days in Damascus to locally-planned community clean-ups. This year, RS is raising funds to purchase a mini barge (trash boat) that will ensure effective and efficient water-based operations.
Disclaimer: This author is an employee of Sawyer Products, and this article is brought to you on behalf of The Sawyer Foundation.