Giving Tuesday
Giving Tuesday
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Giving Tuesday

Smartwool •
Philip Lucas

The best thing about finding a love for the outdoors is sharing it with others.

This year, we’re using Giving Tuesday (Nov. 28) as an opportunity to share our love for the outdoors by supporting organizations that are working to get more people outside and build a sense of community in the places we love.

On Giving Tuesday we’re pledging to support The Adaptive Sports Association, Colorado Blackpackers, and Latino Outdoors with a pair of socks for every pair purchased, along with a donation of $12,000 to support outdoor adventure and education programs the organizations offer across the country.

As any experienced adventure-seeker will tell you, quality gear could mean the difference between unlocking a lifelong passion or never setting a blistered and bruised foot on a hiking trail again. We’re thrilled to support these organizations in getting more people outside, and to give the gift of Merino so new explorers can stay comfortable and engage with their surroundings rather than worry about their feet.

Keep reading to learn more about how every sock purchase on Giving Tuesday will help more people get outside and stay out there longer.

The Adaptive Sports Association 

Based in Durango, Colorado, the Adaptive Sports Association (ASA) provides outdoor, sports and recreational experiences for people with disabilities. The organization works to eliminate financial barriers to participating in outdoor activities and creates a supportive atmosphere for learning and enhancing self-esteem. ASA serves more than 450 people with the help of about 280 volunteers. 

Among other programs, ASA has provided adaptive “sit-ski” lessons to people with disabilities for more than 35 years. We’re excited to provide them with a variety of kids and adult ski socks to help participants stay dry and comfortable on the slopes. Click here to donate.

The Adaptive Sports Association 

Based in Durango, Colorado, the Adaptive Sports Association (ASA) provides outdoor, sports and recreational experiences for people with disabilities. The organization works to eliminate financial barriers to participating in outdoor activities and creates a supportive atmosphere for learning and enhancing self-esteem. ASA serves more than 450 people with the help of about 280 volunteers. 

Among other programs, ASA has provided adaptive “sit-ski” lessons to people with disabilities for more than 35 years. We’re excited to provide them with a variety of kids and adult ski socks to help participants stay dry and comfortable on the slopes. Click here to donate.

Colorado Blackpackers

Founded in 2019 by Patricia Cameron, Colorado Blackpackers is on a mission to address the representation gap in the outdoors and create economic equity in the outdoor industry by building career pathways through education and certification programs. 

Patricia and the Blackpackers team are working to make it easier for families to access the outdoors by offering free and subsidized trips, classes, and gear to lower the economic barriers many families face in spending time outside. As a single mother, Patricia has firsthand knowledge of those barriers and the sacrifices it takes to address them. After setting out on her first backpacking trip alone and in a snowstorm years ago, Patricia has become a wilderness EMT, a certified interpretative guide, a Leave No Trace master educator and a National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) graduate. 

Blackpackers hosts programs throughout the year including group camping trips, trail cleanups, swimming, climbing, and backpacking classes and more. Click here to donate. 

Latino Outdoors

Now in its 10th year, Latino Outdoors supports a national community of leaders in outdoor recreation, conservation and environmental education. The group is working to ensure the history, heritage and leadership of the Latino community is included in the narrative of who engages in the outdoors, and who’s working to protect it. Latino Outdoors also supports a storytelling platform in which participants share cultural connections and narratives that are often overlooked by the mainstream environmental movement.

Latino Outdoors provides leadership, mentorship, and professional development opportunities to participants and has served more than 21,000 participants in more than 1,000 outdoor adventures. The organization has 31 regional teams in 20 states and is supported by a national network of about 250 volunteers. Click here to donate.

Creating comfort, confidence and community for a life lived outside is what we’re always working toward at Smartwool, and we’re excited to support community organizations that are doing the same. We look forward to working with the Adaptive Sports Association, Colorado Blackpackers, and Latino Outdoors to equip more people to go far and feel good.

Latino Outdoors

Now in its 10th year, Latino Outdoors supports a national community of leaders in outdoor recreation, conservation and environmental education. The group is working to ensure the history, heritage and leadership of the Latino community is included in the narrative of who engages in the outdoors, and who’s working to protect it. Latino Outdoors also supports a storytelling platform in which participants share cultural connections and narratives that are often overlooked by the mainstream environmental movement.

Latino Outdoors provides leadership, mentorship, and professional development opportunities to participants and has served more than 21,000 participants in more than 1,000 outdoor adventures. The organization has 31 regional teams in 20 states and is supported by a national network of about 250 volunteers. Click here to donate.

Creating comfort, confidence and community for a life lived outside is what we’re always working toward at Smartwool, and we’re excited to support community organizations that are doing the same. We look forward to working with the Adaptive Sports Association, Colorado Blackpackers, and Latino Outdoors to equip more people to go far and feel good.