December Newsletter: Reflecting on the year
We are excited to be celebrating our 10th Anniversary this year! Coombs Outdoors was founded as the Doug Coombs Foundation in 2012 by Emily Coombs to address the lack of representation and promote inclusion of the whole community in the outdoor recreation opportunities that define the culture of Jackson Hole. The first program funded 28 local children in learn-to-ski programs at Snow King Mountain Resort. 10 years later, we provide more than 400 local youth the opportunity to participate in outdoor programs year-round, spanning from alpine and Nordic skiing and snowboarding in the winter, hiking, biking, boating, and climbing in the summer, and year-round high school internships, swimming lessons, afterschool programs, and more.
The demand for Coombs programs is increasing every year and, thanks to support from generous donors like you, we have been able to fill gaps in services in our community and meet the needs of our families. The organization has transitioned over the past 10 years from a "nice to have" for our community to an absolute "need to have" for our families and participants. Through thoughtful planning and creative program development, we are making it a priority to respond directly to feedback from participants and families about what Coombs can be doing better to improve the lives of our youth.
The first cohort of Coombs participants in 2012. Photo by Emily Coombs.
Your 2022 contribution supports:
Our largest Fall after-school programs with 75 total participants receiving weekly after school programming
50 elementary students learned to swim in Coombs swimming lessons in partnership with Astoria Hot Springs
400 participants in grades K-12 skiing and snowboarding weekly in Coombs programs for the 2022-2023 winter season
175 participants receiving three weeks of camp each in Coombs Outdoors 2022 summer programs
35 High schoolers placed in competitively paid internships at businesses in organizations around the Valley through the Empower program which also provides monthly professional and personal development workshops
40 participants benefiting from the launch of specialized clubs and programs for middle and high schoolers including Mountain Bike, Climbing, Kayak, and Backcountry Skiing and Snowboard clubs
A summer instructor staff that included 6 former Coombs participants hired and trained to be outdoor leaders and role models for younger Coombs campers
A full-time staff of eight employees, with 6 of them being 100% focused on program development and implementation
Coombs Outdoors programs have been getting kids outside for 10 years now. Our impact is two-fold; we are supporting local working families by providing a safe and affordable place for their children to grow and experience new things; and we are benefiting our local youth by creating access to outdoor recreation opportunities that help them feel included in the community of Jackson Hole. Our programs are designed to connect local youth more deeply to Jackson’s culture and community, helping them build social collateral with their peers, increase confidence and resilience, and improve mental and physical health.
In celebration of our 10th Anniversary, we have launched a three-year, $1 Million community challenge. A group of 6 generous donors have come together to match all donations dollar-for-dollar up to $333K/year for three years. The goal of the $1 Million challenge is to provide necessary resources for increasing our capacity to meet the growing demand and need for our programs and contribute to the financial sustainability of the organization. We are excited that all gifts received this year will be matched by this challenge.
We are grateful for your past generosity and hope that you’ll consider joining the $1 Million Challenge with a gift to Coombs Outdoors to support another amazing year of creating access to the outdoors for Jackson’s local youth.
Left Photo: Mariela learns to ski with Coombs in 2012
Right Photo: Mariela as a Coombs Summer Instructor leading a group of elementary participants up the Tram at JHMR
Then and Now
“I started skiing when I was 8 years old, during the first ever year of Coombs in 2012. I remember there weren’t many kids. We would ski at Snow King and I learned to ski on the tow rope. My favorite part was taking hot chocolate breaks. It was really fun to ski with Coombs, and my little sister got to join me.
10 years later, I’m proud that Coombs is a lot more well known. Now, kids not only have the opportunity to learn to ski and snowboard, but there’s Nordic skiing, and lots of year-round options. Coombs has evolved a lot. This year I was able to lead the younger kids as an Empower Intern for Nordic skiing and then as a Summer Instructor at Coombs summer camps. It was fun to be a leader to them.”
Mariela Castro Luna started skiing in the first Coombs learn-to-ski program in 2012. She has worked for Coombs Outdoors for the past two years, first as an Empower intern assisting with afterschool and summer programs and most recently post-high school graduation as a full-time Summer Instructor.