L.L.Bean announced year end approval of its Charitable Giving Program that will allocate $1.6 million in grants to nearly 200 community organizations. The program was approved by the L.L.Bean Board of Directors at their December meeting. The gifts, ranging from $500 to $25,000, will be dispersed to organizations involved in the areas of conservation and recreation, health and human services, education, and culture and the arts.

“We are pleased to provide funding to so many worthy organizations,” said Shawn Gorman, L.L.Bean’s chairman of the board. “These groups share the values and traditions of L.L.Bean encouraging healthy outdoor living and addressing real human needs in our communities.”

For decades L.L.Bean has supported the community through its Charitable Giving Program, and in just the last 10 years has provided close to $36 million in funding to nonprofit organizations.

“We share our customers’ passion for the outdoors,” said Chris McCormick, president and CEO of L.L.Bean. “We also have a vested interest in working with organizations to address the most pressing community needs.”

In the area of conservation and recreation, the focus of the program is engaging young people in healthy outdoor activities, building upon the initiatives launched in 2012 as part of the 100th anniversary celebration. Recipients of the 2013 Community Grants within this area of giving include long-time L.L.Bean partners the Appalachian Trail Conservancy, American Canoe Association, Nature Conservancy, Maine Audubon, Maine Island Trails Association, and sporting groups such as Trout Unlimited, Ducks Unlimited, Ruffed Grouse Society and Sportsman’s Alliance of Maine, and a more recent addition, the Maine Winter Sports Center.

Within the category of health and human services the primary recipients are United Ways throughout Maine as well as local efforts to support those neighbors in need through Freeport Community Services and Preble Street; in education, through statewide organizations that include Jobs for Maine’s Graduates and Junior Achievement and local efforts in school districts within L.L.Bean communities; and in the area of culture and the arts the company funds events such as the Bangor Folk Festival and organizations such as the Maine State Music Theater and Portland Museum of Art.

Beyond the Charitable Giving Program, the company also continues to provide $200,000 in annual support to the Island Explorer propane bus system in Acadia National Park providing ecofriendly, free transportation to four million visitors to Maine’s national park.

In addition, L.L.Bean responded to emergency needs nationally and internationally including The One Fund for victims of the Boston Marathon bombing; Save The Children to assist with recovery after the Philippine typhoon; to the American Red Cross to assist families affected by the Colorado floods; and relief efforts to help families impacted by the Oklahoma tornadoes.

In the past ten years, L.L.Bean has donated nearly $36 million to nonprofit organizations.