May was a fruitful month for Big City Mountaineers, which received a 120-acre land donation in Minnesota as well as a $12,000 check from Peyton Manning’s PeyBack Foundation.
The non-profit will use these donations to expand their existing programs, which aim to teach critical life skills to youth through wilderness mentoring expeditions, .
“My first month at Big City Mountaineers was an exciting one,” says newly appointed BCM Executive Director Bryan Martin. “The land donation in Minnesota and the PeyBack grant bring momentum to the organization and we are excited to use these donations to further BCM’s mission.”
An anonymous donor granted the organization a 120-acre land parcel near the Boundary Waters Wilderness Area of Minnesota, valued at $200,000. The parcel includes a half mile of riverfront, a full bunkhouse, storage facilities for canoes and an island on the Pike River Flowage. Beginning in 2016, the new land will be used for week-long canoe expeditions and shorter overnight trips for younger children. The property will allow BCM to double the number of youth it can serve in the Minnesota area.
BCM was also one of 144 youth-based organizations that received grants from Peyton Manning’s PeyBack Foundation. The foundation gave over $1 million to organizations across Colorado, Tennessee, Louisiana and Indiana.
“I think when you hear the feedback from the organizations that it does make a difference, I think it tells you you’re doing something right,” said Manning in an article on the Denver Broncos website.
Big City Mountaineers (BCM) instills critical life-skills in more than 1,000 under-served young people each year by getting them outdoors with volunteer mentors for life-changing wilderness experiences. BCM’s unique model of 1-to-1 mentoring is proven to develop integrity, responsibility, improve communication skills and decision making abilities in youth from risk-filled environments. Given the opportunity to develop these skills alongside caring volunteer mentors creates positive lasting change in these youth who become more likely to stay in school and avoid drugs, gangs and violence. To learn more, please visit www.bigcitymountaineers.org.
