Join Us on Mission Outdoors

By Kristina Ortez de Jones, Southwest Youth Representative

John Muir loved the outdoors, and when the Sierra Club was founded back in 1892, outings to special places in the Sierras inspired passion among the Club’s early members. Outings have always been a special part of the Club, and it’s been integrated with two of Sierra Club’s Youth Programs.

Mission Outdoors is our new program that combines Local Outings, Inner City Outings, Building Bridges to the Outdoors and the Military Families Outdoors projects. An effort to engage and activate even more young people, veterans and diverse communities, these programs have come together to share resources and talent.

All of Mission Outdoors’ programs are critical to the Sierra Club’s core goals: providing outdoor experiences so that children, youth and families across the nation have the opportunity to explore and enjoy our natural heritage. We’ll build the next generation of young and diverse leaders by getting them outside in special places and training them to become activists and leaders.

• Building Bridges to the Outdoors builds diverse support for connecting underserved children, youth, and families with the outdoors, by shaping the public conversation and engaging public officials.
• Inner City Outings provides safe and fun wilderness trips to low-income youth, physically disabled individuals, and others who have limited access to the outdoors.
• Local Outings leads “all-day outings or walks” for members of communities across the nation.
• Military Families and Veterans Outdoors connects military families and veterans with the healing power of the outdoors.

Together, Mission Outdoors programs engage over 11,000 people in direct outdoor experiences every year, and trains thousands of volunteer leaders across all 50 states. The programs also educate the public, mobilize local community members, and help to lead the national movement in support of these experiences.

If you are interested in becoming a volunteer with Mission Outdoors, please email Kristina.ortez@sierraclub.org or call 505-206-9629.