We are excited to officially announce our 2021-2022 Featured Non-Profit Groups. Each of these 6 groups will have 2 months where they are highlighted on our Facebook and Instagram, suggested as the NPO group to consign under for folks dropping of donations, and have the last Sunday of their month dedicated as a donation day. That means Gear Hut donates 10% of sales directly to a NPO every last Sunday of the month.
After a year like 2020, providing consistent funding for groups became even more vital than ever before. Even in such a strange year, with the help of all of our amazing customers and consignors, Gear Hut was able to donate $6,353.31 to last year's (6) NPOs. Those funds helped keep educational and environmental programming alive during a year of shutdowns due to COVID!
When Rusty and I started Gear Hut, we were excited about the store's future and the impact we could make on our corner of the world. Initially we had the goal of becoming a "1% for the Planet" company. We had believed that the objective was to have these sorts of sustainable, green labels slapped all over the shop, similarly to being labeled "organic"... but in reality, we want our community here in Nevada to thrive.
We want kids in Washoe County Schools to have outdoor education opportunities, we want our local parks to be maintained. We strive to see the impact directly invested in Reno/Tahoe/Nevada. Rather than focusing our time on the bureaucracy of joining the larger organizations, we've kept it local. We realized quickly that these labels don't matter to us, that it's just an internet promise, a stamp you pay for on your website. For us, it's about what we are able to achieve; how many kids were able to attend camp that would have never had the opportunity, how many pounds of trash were picked up at clean ups that wouldn't have happened, how many folks were able to get outside and experience something outside of their comfort zone, how many acres of wild spaces were able to be preserved and protected. Through a very trying process, we as Gear Hut, select 6 groups each year that we believe empower our local community through education, increasing access, clean ups, preservation, etc.
Volunteers at Gear Hut's Clean-Up with Keep Truckee Meadows Beautiful, Nov 2020
So, without further ado, this year's featured groups are as follows:
Tahoe Climbing Coalition - who's mission is t o protect and improve climbing in the Lake Tahoe Basin through mentorship and stewardship. They work to replace bolts at our favorite crags, host a multitude of clean ups each summer and work to get high risk youth climbing through scholarship programs. Funds raised will directly benefit crag stabilization at Castle Rock, clean up at the Spooner crag/trailhead and ClimbUp! scholarships.
First Descents (Reno Trib) - who's mission is to provide free access life-changing, outdoor adventure programming for those impacted by cancer and other serious health conditions - improving the long-term survivorship and allowing them to reclaim their lives. Funds raised directly cover the cost of rentals, instruction and supplies for Reno local survivors to get outdoors.
Green Vibe - who's primary community outreach and activism branch is Donature Time, dedicated to strengthening our community's connection with the land. They've primarily focused on cleaning up the Truckee River and are planning on growing to include community gardens, tree plantings, invasive species control and nature outings. Donated funds will aid in covering supplies, dump fees and transportation for clean-up events scheduled for 2021.
Great Basin Outdoor School - which empowers Reno's youth to explore, achieve, and expand horizons through hands on discovery in the outdoor classroom. GBOS hosts guided family hikes, camps and education to children. During COVID, GBOS provided free virtual programming for K-12. Funds raised will help to benefit scholarships for kids that have limited opportunities to get off the pavement and explore the natural world.
Galena Creek Visitor Center - provides travel and recreation resources, a wide variety of nature based programming for the public of Reno. Galena Creek Visitor Center is planning on using donated funds to diversify their education area by constructing an outdoor area with a projector and awning, allowing for traditional programming and community presentations in an outdoor space (especially important after a year of Covid).
Truckee Meadows Parks Foundation - protects and enhances our communities livability through public engagement, education and the sustainability of Reno's parks, open spaces and trails. Donated funds directly go towards funding the free of charge programming under "Healthy Parks, Healthy People", to ensure equity and encourage all members of the community to participate, with a focus on vulnerable populations such as older adults and low income students.
Join us on the LAST Sunday of every month when we donate 10% of our total sales to one of these groups. Donate your gear under their accounts and shop our sale rack (all items on the sale rack go to NPOs). Help us in achieving 2021's goal of being able to provide $10,000 of funding to these (6) organizations!
-Leah Wzientek
Co Owner, Gear Hut
