National Park Foundation Applauds Efforts to Connect Youth to National Parks
WASHINGTON – Will Shafroth, president of the National Park Foundation (NPF), the national nonprofit partner to the National Park Service, issued the following statement regarding its support of programs that provide youth with opportunities to learn and explore in America’s national parks:
“The National Park Foundation has been a longtime supporter of efforts to connect young people to our nation’s public lands and waters. Through our programs such as Open Outdoors for Kids, as well as supporting initiatives like Every Kid in a Park, NPF has made it possible for hundreds of thousands of youth to discover their natural, cultural, and historical heritage; experience hands-on learning at public lands and waters; enjoy outdoor recreation; and begin a lifelong relationship with our national parks. NPF is proud to lead efforts that introduce young people, many for the first time, to the incredible places in their own backyards. We look forward to collaborating with partners across the country as we continue our work to build the next generation of national park stewards.”
ABOUT THE NATIONAL PARK FOUNDATION
The National Park Foundation is the official charity of America’s national parks and nonprofit partner to the National Park Service. Chartered by Congress in 1967, the National Park Foundation raises private funds to help PROTECT more than 84 million acres of national parks through critical conservation and preservation efforts, CONNECT all Americans with their incomparable natural landscapes, vibrant culture and rich history, and INSPIRE the next generation of park stewards. In 2016, commemorating the National Park Service’s 100th anniversary, the Foundation launched The Centennial Campaign for America’s National Parks, a comprehensive fundraising campaign to strengthen and enhance the future of these national treasures for the next hundred years. Find out more and become a part of the national park community at www.nationalparks.org.