2024: A Year of Growth, Gratitude, and Getting Outdoors! 💚🌳🥾

This email is a special year-end update. If you want to get regular updates, please sign up now for our newsletter.

Dear [First Name],

As we reflect on 2024, we're excited to share the strides we've made at Oakland Goes Outdoors around our mission to provide equitable access to the outdoors for Oakland youth. Your support has been instrumental in creating inclusive, culturally informed, skills-building trips that connect students with nature.

Here's what we've accomplished together:

By the Numbers

📚 Student Impact:

2023-24 School Year: 5,566 students participated in 221 trips across 23 schools.
Summer Splash: We launched our first year of summer programming in 2024, successfully coordinating 71 trips & engaging over 1,650 students.
Fall Adventures: This fall, 100 trips have already provided 3,000 students with immersive outdoor experiences.

🧑🏾‍🤝‍🧑🏾 Engaging Adults:

Over 1,500 adults served as leaders and chaperones on our trips in 2024! Their mentorship and dedication were essential to creating safe and impactful outdoor experiences for students.

🖼️ Trip Snapshots

Awe-inspiring redwood trees in Redwood Regional Park (this was the most visited destination in 2024!)

Hands-on marine education during a Marine Science Institute boat expedition trip

Backpacking along Point Reyes National Seashore

Experiencing snow for the first time in Tahoe

First time sailing on the San Francisco Bay with Call of the Sea

Bringing earth science lesson plans to life at Sibley Volcanic Regional Preserve

Tide pooling along the California coast in the Golden Gate National Recreation Area

Quick photo op at Vernal and Nevada Falls while hiking the Mist trail in Yosemite National Park

🎉 Additional Milestones

Digital Presence: We launched a new website and reengaged our Instagram page to better connect with and grow our community.

Leadership: OGO welcomed our first-ever Executive Director, Kaitlin Levenstrong.

Anniversary: We celebrated 5 years of programming this spring (our formal program launch was May 16, 2019). Over that time, we’ve provided 600 immersive outdoor experiences to more than 18,000 students!

And we also joyfully welcomed the newest member of the OGO family this year — baby Ren! 🍼💛

📣Partnership Shoutouts

We established and deepened relationships with a number of incredible program providers and park agencies this year, including SeaTrek, Clem Miller Environmental Education Center, the East Bay Regional Park District, and the California Natural Resources Agency, just to name a few.

Our team was also able to present at national gatherings such as the Blue Sky Funders Forum and Children and Nature Network Conference.

What an incredible year!

Your support has been pivotal in breaking down barriers and ensuring that every Oakland student feels they belong and can thrive in the outdoors.

Together, we are fostering a love for nature that enhances health, builds community, and encourages environmental stewardship.

Here's to more adventures and connections in 2025! 💚🌳🥾

With deep gratitude and joy
from all of us on the OGO team

P.S. You can help us amplify our impact going into the new year and continue making the outdoors accessible for all Oakland youth by donating today!

WAYS TO GIVE & GET INVOLVED