TRAILS FOR YOUTH ORG
Teaching Kids to Overcome Obstacles on the Trail and in Life!
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
Access to safe outdoor physical activity in nature is often denied to many families in our community due to several barriers. TrailsforYouth.Org’s (TYO) nature programs remove barriers for under-served, primarily Hispanic youth ages 10-18 to get outdoors and overcome obstacles. TYO provides the equipment, mentoring, transportation, and access for these youth to realize their inner strength as they successfully navigate over obstacles and gain much-needed outdoor exercise. As they exclaim “I did it!”, these trail bike rides become more than a day in the park, they are the very essence of personal growth and achievement. Our programs help foster a deep connection for these youth to their local parks and trails. These opportunities, abundant in their more affluent peers, are often unobtainable without TYO’s programs.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Nurture in Nature - Mentoring youth during outdoor experiences.
Our programs mentor at-risk local youth and provide outdoor programs for them to connect to nature, receive needed physical activity, nutritional information, environmental stewardship and boost in self-esteem. Through nature bike rides, hiking, camping, fishing, kayaking and general outdoor exploration youth learn about their connectivity to their surrounding natural areas while getting a needed boost in physical activity. Our programs teach kids how to overcome obstacles on the trail and in life.
Where we work
External reviews

Photos
Our Sustainable Development Goals
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Goals & Strategy
Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
Our goal is to improve the social-emotional and physical health of the youth we serve. TYO youth spend hundreds of hours biking or hiking the nature trails, challenging themselves to succeed, and then standing prouder for their accomplishments. Our programs forge deep lasting connections for these youth and provide healthy outlets and established habits that carry with them throughout life. Their successes and joy are associated and connected to their local trails and parks and they establish an "ownership" of those trails. Youth will be vigilant in not littering, help to maintain the trails, volunteer to help keep the park clean - all these elements are instilled within our programs. Through our programs, youth connect to their environment and build stronger self-esteem and confidence. Laura, a young adult who was a rider from a local title-1 school since 5th grade said it best. She was volunteering at an event to help lead younger girls on a ride, and said, "without TYO and all I did with you, I wouldn't even try for college."
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
Our strategies remain to continue to work with local schools and organizations to directly impact the at-risk youth that has the most need for our services. TYO will continue to outreach to the underserved, primarily Hispanic community within Northern Virginia to offer opportunities for these youth to get outside and get active within the natural areas so close to their home, and yet remain out of reach due to their economic disadvantages. As an established community organization we have cultivated tremendous support from local schools, civic associations, government, business leaders, park managers, and local families. Through our established support and partnerships we will continue to provide our approximately 100 events per year for the underserved youth in our community.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
TYO staff, Board of Directors, and key volunteers have provided over 50,000 opportunities to local youth to be outdoors and active since our inception in 2003. During these accumulated years of experience, our staff and key volunteers have been recognized by their employers for outstanding efforts in directing intern programs, been awarded numerous accolades for their dedication and success from outside entities such as Responsibly Sports, REI, Networking for Women, FOX/IMBA Hero Award and many local news features for on-going positive efforts in youth development. All staff and key volunteers undergo a background check and continued certification of First Aid and CPR. In short, experiences are numerous and we are well-qualified to continue to implement our programs.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
Since our inception, TYO has provided over 50,000 youth opportunities to get outdoors and active. We implement approximately 100 events each year and continue to improve or hone our skills to best meet the needs of our youth community. TYO
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
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Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
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TRAILS FOR YOUTH ORG
Board of directorsas of 02/22/2022
Gary Bangs
Ken Scott
REI
Patrick Childers
EPA
Gary Bangs
Springfield Advocate
Gina Innocencio
Bike Lane Advocate
Mike McMarlin
Fairfax County Schools
Kristi Upman
Walter Whitman/RN
Kristy Clark
Co-Op Teacher
Board leadership practices
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Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? Yes