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Alterra Mountain Company and Share Winter Foundation have entered a multi-year collaboration highlighted by a donation to Share Winter of nearly $4 million in the form of cash and in-kind services, including lessons, lift tickets, equipment rentals, and meal vouchers. The partnership aims to create a more diverse and inclusive winter sports community, and support Share Winter’s mission to improve the lives, health, and fitness of youth through winter sports.
“Alterra Mountain Company is committed to building a global mountain community and is thrilled to support Share Winter Foundation’s vision of making snowsports more accessible by providing on-snow experiences to help instill a lasting impact and a love of the outdoors in youth traditionally denied access to the sport,” said Karen Sanford, Alterra chief legal and social responsibility officer. “We look forward to our long-term relationship that will help benefit kids as well as our teams at our mountain resorts.”
Share Winter Foundation is a non-profit grantmaking organization that provides resources, advocacy, and community support for youth learn-to-ski and -snowboard programs, mainly those that serve kids that may otherwise be denied access to the sport.
Through Alterra’s donation, youth participating in Share Winter’s partner programs will get up to four learn-to experiences at 14 of Alterra’s North American destinations during winter 2021-22, resulting in more than 13,000 on-snow visits. Participants will be offered graduate packages following completion of the programs to encourage long-term engagement.
In addition, the partnership will allow Share Winter to expand existing programs, create new programs, and invite new grantees to Alterra Mountain Company destinations for winter 2021-22.
Alterra resorts will also create opportunities for resort employees to engage with learn-to-ski and -snowboard program participants to demonstrate the benefits of a life and career in the outdoor recreational industry.
“With this game-changing partnership, Alterra Mountain Company is breaking down some of the greatest barriers to entry in skiing and riding,” said Share Winter Foundation CEO Constance Beverley. “The opportunity presented by this partnership is phenomenal, but the energy and support we’ve felt from Alterra Mountain Company and its employees takes this collaboration to the next level. This is how real change happens.”
Share Winter is currently recruiting youth serving nonprofit organizations (including, but not limited to: YMCA’s, Boys & Girls Clubs, municipal Parks and Recreation Programs, and Nonprofit Youth Programs with an Outdoor Focus, etc.) that would like to add skiing and snowboarding programs to their existing programming. Programs will be selected based on meeting the grant criteria and Share Winter’s grantmaking priorities. Selected programs will receive grant funding, lift tickets, rentals, lessons, and other resources. Grants for this particular program are not currently available for individual schools and/or school ski clubs/teams.
To receive further information and consideration for this program, launching this Winter (2021-22), apply here by Oct. 15, 2021.
