Gear to Grow Support of TEENS Inc

About TEENS, Inc.

TEENS, Inc. is a youth and family center that serves the Nederland and Peak to Peak communities in Colorado’s Front Range. Established in 1997, TEENS, Inc. primarily supports teens, ages 12-21, from a diverse range of backgrounds. The organization’s mission is to empower youth to make healthy choices in order to help them thrive. TEENS, Inc. is the only alternative high school in the Peak to Peak region and provides tuition-free after-school activities and employment placement programs for youth. The organization is also expanding its outdoor leadership program by offering after-school climbing activities, backpacking trips, and summer leadership retreats. All outdoor programs are heavily subsidized making them low cost and available to all families. No student would ever be turned away for monetary reasons.

Gear to Grow & TEENS, Inc. Partnership

TEENS Inc. and Gear to Grow have worked together since September 2010. Through this partnership, TEENS, Inc. has received multiple donations including packs, outdoor apparel, backpacks, tents, sleeping bags, footwear, gloves, and hats. Like many other beneficiaries, TEENS, Inc. has worked to repair some of the slightly damaged donations from Gear to Grow and fully use the revamped gear for several of its outdoor excursions.

“Without Gear to Grow we would not have been able to operate many of our programs. We are not financially able to purchase the quantity of backpacks and clothes Gear to Grow has donated. The backpacks and clothes specifically have been a great asset to our backpacking trips. These trips would have run but with sub-standard gear.”

- Holly Barrass, TEENS, Inc.

Recent Excursions

TEENS, Inc. has run two four-day backpacking trips this school year with their high school students. One, as a collaboration with Prescott College adventure leadership students to the Galliuro Wilderness in Arizona, October 2010. The second to Canyonlands National Park in Utah. Most students had never been backpacking before or camped in the backcountry. The programs have given students opportunities and experiences that have never been available in their community previously. The staff have been able to observe positive changes in communication, leadership, and healthy risk taking in students who participated on these trips.

Ben and Dillon loving their warm jackets on a cold morning. Arizona, 2010 Thanks Gear to Grow!

TEENS, Inc. Students in the Galliuro Wilderness, Arizona. Learning to love their backpacks from Gear to Grow! October 2010

TEENS, Inc. Students taking a much deserved break. Galliuro Wilderness, fall backpacking trip. Arizona. October 2010

TEENS, Inc. Students wearing their backpacks, boots, and clothes from Gear to grow. Canyonlands National Park, March 2011.

TEENS, Inc. Students rock scrambling in Canyonlands National Park. Spring backpacking trip,
March 2011.

Cisco with his Backpack and Jacket from Gear to Grow! Canyonlands National Park, Spring backpacking trip 2011.

TEENS, Inc. Students backpacking in Canyonlands National Park. March 2011

TEENS, Inc. Students wearing their backpacks. Canyonlands National Park. March 2011