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.
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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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