Transformative Backpacking Experiences

 

Foster the Earth is dedicated to helping vulnerable children and young adults in the foster care system through exposure to the great outdoors.

Our belief is simple, tried and true:

by experiencing the challenges and healing power of extended time in the wild, participants will come away with a deeper respect for themselves, their capacity, and their place in the natural world.

Acquiring the skills to accomplish this will be a tool kit they can lean on throughout every aspect of their lives while becoming future advocates for wild places.

How can you help?

 

We are a volunteer-run organization that counts on community support and grant funding in order to offer our program each year.

Donations help ensure the success of our efforts and positive experiences for our participants! If you’d like to make a donation, please visit our donation page.

 
 
 
 
 

Our Program

Foster the Earth is a 7-month program starting in March each year. We meet once a month for day hikes, where participants learn the skills needed to embark on a week-long backpacking trip at the end of the program.

Each month, our hikes add more distance and altitude, and leaders provide education in Leave No Trace, Wilderness First Aid, and backcountry travel. Through this journey, we deepen our connection to nature and create an experience of a lifetime.

Our Participants

"For years I've been struggling to find something that would cure me of emotional scars that kept building up. I tried exploring for solutions that would help me seek what I was missing.

Luckily, I found my therapist and her name is MOTHER NATURE. Without Foster the Earth I wouldn't have visited her. Because of Foster the Earth, my mind, body and spirit are getting stronger and healthier."

Nabihah Abdulmalik / 2018 Participant

Foster the Earth is a proud 1% for the Planet nonprofit partner.

1% for the Planet is a global movement that unites businesses and individuals that are dedicated to protecting the environment. Member organizations contribute at least 1% of their profits to environmental causes and nonprofit partners that are committed to creating a healthy planet.

Foster the Earth is a grateful recipient of 1% funding and is devoted to building a community of environmental advocates through our wilderness immersion program.