Eddie Bauer pledged a $50,000 donation to the National Park Foundation’s Field Trip Grants supporting the Every Kid in a Park initiative.

Announced last year by The White House, Every Kid in a Park provides every fourth grader and their families a free annual pass to experience our nation’s public lands and waters.

“Many people who enjoy outdoor recreation started as kids, enjoying the outdoors with their family and friends. It is also when they begin to develop an appreciation and respect for nature,” said Mike Egeck, CEO, Eddie Bauer. “It’s this next generation that holds the power to ensure these lands remain protected and preserved. Through our donation to the National Park Foundation, we hope to provide more youth with access to our national parks, and inspire them to explore and protect the outdoors for generations of outdoor enthusiasts to come.”

The National Park Foundation, the official charity of America’s national parks and nonprofit partner to the National Park Service, collaborates with school districts, parks, and park partners to provide efficient transportation support to hundreds of thousands of students to visit these special places.

Due to a lack of socioeconomic and geographic resources, many young people do not have access to the nation’s public lands and waters, which is why the Foundation’s Every Kid in a Park Field Trip Grants focuses primarily on supporting underserved and urban communities. With cutbacks in school funding for field trips, Eddie Bauer’s donation will help introduce kids in these communities to the national parks in their own backyards and experience unparalleled hands-on learning opportunities.