WILD WHATCOM
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Mission Statement
Wild Whatcom fosters lifelong connections to nature. We do this in order to promote the health and well-being of young people in our community and to support our community in raising a generation of environmental stewards who care about each other and the planet.
About This Cause
Wild Whatcom inspires children, youth, and adults to walk through life with wonder, confidence, and compassion for each other and the wild spaces around them. Our outstanding mentors teach naturalist and leadership skills through hands-on activities and proven curriculum that inspires curiosity, engagement, and discovery. We have 20+ years experience offering year-round outdoor programs for all ages. Donations help us create equitable access to outdoor learning and enrichment by providing: 1. Free, public school-based programs for grades 2-3 in Title I (low income) and rural schools, and K-12 students in special education classrooms. 2. Scholarships (up to 100%) for our nature preschool, after-school, weekend, and summer youth programs. 3. Support for low-income participants in our "pay what you can" outdoor community programs, including: affinity programs for a) women/non-binary adults, b) adults with accessibility challenges (elders, physical/neurological disabilities), c) queer adults and allies, and d) BIPOC adults. 4. Free loaner clothing and gear for any participant who needs them during our outdoor programs. Each year we: *Explore outside with over 2000 people; playing, learning, and connecting. *Provide 50,000+ "nature hours" - time people spend outside, immersed in nature. *Contribute 4,000 hours of service for community partners. The problem we are here to address: People, especially under-served youth and marginalized adults, are increasingly disconnected from nature, spending more and more time inside. Recently described as a systemic "nature deficiency," this not only affects their individual health, but it places our local communities - and planet - at peril due to lack of environmental knowledge and engagement. Wild Whatcom’s model of outdoor exploration and learning provides an antidote. By building enduring connections to nature and fostering a sense of stewardship, we cultivate in youth the vital components for environmental leadership and responsibility. As with many things in our society, opportunities for access to natural areas decrease with socio-economic levels. Research confirms what we know intuitively: children who are economically disadvantaged have even fewer opportunities for environmental education experiences. Funds from donors are pivotal in order to bridge this “nature gap” and will support non-fee based programming, such as our schools programs, that reduce and remove participation barriers.