Kampgrounds of America (KOA) has launched the Kampgrounds of America Foundation. Celebrating its 60th year in business, KOA said it wants to increase its already robust philanthropic efforts through the foundation, which will serve as the charitable embodiment of the brand’s mission of connecting people to the outdoors and each other.
The company said the Kampgrounds of America Foundation funding will focus on three primary categories that meet this mission – accessibility to the outdoors, preservation and sustainability of the outdoors and community initiatives where KOA campgrounds are and employees live. KOA is committing 1% of pre-tax profit annually to fund the foundation, ensuring these initiatives are fulfilled. The Kampgrounds of American Foundation is a registered 501c(3) organization that will support nonprofit organizations with 501c(3) status and the foundation’s charitable activities.
“Giving back has been part of our DNA since we were founded over 60 years ago. The foundation’s formation solidifies our ability to make an impact, in both dollars and time, to our mission,” said Toby O’Rourke, CEO and president of Kampgrounds of America. “We are focused on increasing access to the outdoors, protecting natural spaces and improving quality of place in the communities where our campgrounds operate and our employees live.”
The foundation’s inaugural gift is to support the activation of The Get Out There Adventure Bag, which equips youth that lack access to the outdoors with essential gear so they can experience all that nature has to offer. The program, announced last year with the founding partnership of Anker Innovations and Kampgrounds of America, focuses on creating access to the outdoors for underrepresented youth. The work will support the creation and distribution of more than 1000 bags to be produced and distributed to urban youth and their adult chaperones in the hopes of removing barriers to safely explore the great outdoors.
“We are passionate about connecting people with nature and believe that everyone should have an opportunity to enjoy the great outdoors,” said O’Rouke. “The Get Out There Bag program is just one example of the many programs we will support and champion across the outdoor industry.”
