After going through significant life changes in my early 30s, both personally and professionally, I found solace, strength, passion, and so much more in the outdoors. I wanted to find a way to introduce these experiences to more females at a time in their lives far earlier than mine. In search of volunteer work aligned with that mission, I found SheJumps in 2018. Now, I joke with Executive Director, Claire Smallwood, that she’s stuck with me. SheJumps will be my retirement ‘job’–we laugh, but I can’t imagine the future any other way.
SheJumps strives to lower the barrier of entry to outdoor activities so that more women and girls can have access to powerful outdoor experiences. Even when we cannot host in-person events, SheJumps is working to ensure our programming is offered for free or at a low cost to the public so we can truly impact ALL women and girls.
We know the outdoors is a transformative healing space, and spending time outside directly builds empowering life skills.
“Spending time in the outdoors has taught me resiliency. [Resiliency] comes from overcoming challenges and hardships in the outdoors, and I also have witnessed the resilience in ecosystems. These experiences have guided me to pursue new objectives in the outdoors, and also in my everyday life.” – Hannah K., SheJumps volunteer.
I completely agree with Hannah’s sentiment. With those thoughts in mind, I was surprised and, honestly, infuriated, to learn that a 2019 study by the Women’s Philanthropy Institute (WPI) showed that only 1.6% of ALL funding supports the development of women and girls. I know–it's a staggering statistic and fuels my fire in supporting SheJumps. Of the 1.3+ million nonprofit organizations in the U.S. only 45,000, 3.3% are dedicated to women and girls. Those organizations collectively receive $6.3 billion in contributions annually, which might sound like a lot, but put into context is only a startling 1.6% of all nonprofit funding.
Not only are women and girls underrepresented in nonprofits, but those nonprofits are proportionally underfunded.
YOU have the power to change that. A donation to SheJumps is so much more. It’s an investment in our future, in a girl or woman experiencing a transformation through an outdoor experience.
Will you consider making a $10 monthly recurring donation to SheJumps? An investment so we can continue to reach and inspire more girls and women to make a jump toward fulfilling their potential?
Giving monthly to SheJumps is easy, convenient, and provides critical long-term support that we need to sustain our programs and events that change the lives of girls and women nationwide.
As a bonus–if you set up a monthly donation of $10 or more in September, you’re entered to win some amazing prizes. Double bonus? We’ll send you a gift from EcoLips just for setting up your donation!
Join us. Spread the word. Make a donation. It ALL makes a difference when we jump together.
I look forward to jumping with you,
Lindsey Mitchell
SheJumps volunteer
Fundraising and Communications Strategist
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