The North Face Explore Fund Awards $175,000 to non-profits voted on by Facebook Fans

ALAMEDA, Calif., July 21, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- After tallying more than 25,000 votes from Facebook fans, The North Face today announced the final winners of the 2014 Explore Fund grants of up to $25,000. Earlier this summer, The North Face Explore Fund awarded $5,000 to 15 projects dedicated to getting more youth outside and connected to nature as part of its annual $250,000 grant program. In addition to this $75,000 commitment, The North Face chose 10 organizations and invited its community to vote on Facebook for the organization of their choice, giving fans a chance to be directly involved in supporting their favorite cause with the largest grants The North Face has ever awarded.

The top five non-profits with the most fan votes will receive a check for $25,000 to continue their work to get more kids outside and support The North Face mission to start a global movement of Outdoor Exploration, including:

• Nantahala Racing Club, which introduces underserved families in rural Appalachia to whitewater recreation.
• North Carolina Wildlife Federation, which provides underserved kids (ages 6-18) the opportunity to spend a day in the great outdoors with mentors exploring the natural world.
• Mohonk Preserve, which runs outdoor education programs for urban, at-risk, minority youth.
• Paradox Sports, which hosts adaptive climbing clinics around the US, sharing knowledge, techniques, and equipment to help those with adaptive needs.
• Outdoor Outreach, which inspires underserved youth to see the possibility and opportunity through rock climbing, surfing, kayaking, mountain biking, snowboarding, and hiking.

The remaining five organizations will receive $10,000 grants, including: Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Chesapeake, Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Denver, Colorado UpLift, Positive Energy for Youth and Sacred Rok.

"It is exciting to see the incredible response from our customers and fans who are just as passionate about giving more kids the opportunity to experience the outdoors as we are," said Ann Krcik, director of Outdoor Exploration at The North Face. "Together with our enthusiastic community, we are making an investment in the next generation of outdoor explorers and conservationists who will grow to love and protect the wild places we all love to play."

The North Face Explore Fund recipients were chosen based on their commitment to one of three different focus areas: creating more connections of youth to nature and providing inspiration to explore, increasing access to close to home front-and-backcountry recreation opportunities, and engaging a new and diverse audience with the outdoors.

"With funding from The North Face Explore Fund, we can dramatically increase our reach, inviting youth serving organizations from around Minnesota and Wisconsin to participate in programs with us in Duluth, which was just named the best outdoor town in the nation by Outside Magazine," said Positive Energy for Youth Co-Founder and Director Stephanie Love. "In 2014, as Positive Energy for Youth celebrates 10 years as an organization, it is exciting to think of the impact funding from The North Face Explore Fund will have to make sure youth from all incomes and backgrounds can experience the activities that make Duluth and Northeast Minnesota an outdoor destination."

As part of its mission to start a global movement of Outdoor Exploration, The North Face introduced the Explore Fund (www.explorefund.org) in 2010 and the program has since provided more than $1 million in grants globally to organizations committed to inspiring the next generation of outdoor explorers and conservationists.

For more information about the Explore Fund, please visit www.explorefund.org or watch a video of 2014 Grantees.

About The North Face®

The North Face, a division of VF Outdoor, Inc., was founded in 1968. Headquartered in Alameda, California, the company offers the most technically advanced products in the market to accomplished climbers, mountaineers, snowsport athletes, endurance athletes, and explorers. The company's products are sold in specialty mountaineering, backpacking, running, and snowsport retailers, premium-sporting goods retailers and major outdoor specialty retail chains.

Media contact:
Jessica Hollister
The North Face
510.239.1253
[email protected]

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SOURCE The North Face