Trek Relief
#TravelWithPurpose
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
As travelers, sometimes we travel to lands that have needs so glaring that it is hard to ignore. Trek Relief provides the platform to take organized action to give back to the lands that we visit. We aim to popularize the concept of travel that goes hand-in-hand with giving back to the local community. The funds we raise enable us to implement service programs created with the community, powered by the collaborative efforts of Trek Relief volunteers and locals. Encouraged by the great feedback on all fronts, our vision for the tremendous potential of this fundraising model quickly evolved into a non-profit that provides a beautiful framework for voluntourism and relief to those in need in remote parts of the world.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Nepal: Langtang Valley Rebuild
Komin Shyamey Wangphel Secondary School was a crumbled government school, destroyed by the 2015 Nepal earthquake, which sat at the gateway of the Langtang Valley trek in Nepal. Many schools nationwide were ruined by the earthquake and it was witnessed that the government would not be able to fix it for a very long time. Thus, Trek Relief adopted the rebuild fundraising efforts by onboarding philanthropic trekkers.
Trek Relief works together with the Syabrubesi community to rebuild the school and empower the residents with jobs, earthquake-safe building training, construction materials, and ecotourism.
Mongolia: Nature Conservancy
Mongolia is emerging with awareness of a trash and waste management problem and desires both preventative education and direct impact to promote recycling and reduction of waste, particularly in national parks.
Trek Relief establishes a sustaining partnership with on-the-ground environmental advocate, Khangarid Rotary Club of Ulaanbaatar, to increase trash bins and management in Gorkhi-Terelj National Park, prevent desertification by planting trees, and fund educational programs for recycling and zero-waste lifestyles in the elementary school system.
Nepal: Everest Medical Project
In stark contrast to the famed Everest Base Camp's abundant trail facilities, the untouched lower region is direly lacking. There is a severe medicine shortage and healthcare workers are under-equipped due to a restrictive government budget. In a region commonly reporting dental, eye, and skin-related ailments, medical specialists and proper treatment are virtually nonexistent.
Trek Relief provides medical supplies and support, as well as English lessons, for local villages at the base of Mount Everest.
Patagonia: Eco-Sustainability
With the new Patagonia National Park and growing popularity of the Carretera Austral highway in the Aysén region of Chile, local community members are opening arms—and bracing themselves—for the influx of visitors and challenges in conserving their pristine environment.
Trek Relief supports the growth of small Patagonian communities into sustainable towns by facilitating ecotourism, circular economy, regenerative agriculture, green infrastructure, and educational integration. Through effective and efficient scaling, we expand to interconnect these communities in an economically beneficial way that protects the health of the land and its people.
Nepal: Emergency COVID-19 Relief
While global travel stopped, our desire to help did not. Our Founder, Candice Young, hosted an online fundraiser and matched donations to support the distribution of hot meals, food stocks, and medical supplies in Nepal’s time of greatest need in 2021. Partnered with a local nonprofit, The Small World, we were effectively able to deliver immediate aid during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Nepal: Seeds of Hope
In partnership with The Small World, Trek Relief enhances the Seeds of Hope program, aimed at empowering Nepalese Himalayan communities through sustainable agriculture. This initiative fosters resilient food systems for food security and nutrition amid crises like COVID-19. It supports vulnerable groups by providing seeds, training, and tools for organic farming, advancing economic independence and women's empowerment. Through women's groups and leadership development, it bolsters community ties and resilience to climate challenges, with the goal of impacting over 3,000 individuals across more than 500 families.
Peru: Clean Energy
In Peru, Trek Relief supports Mundo Sostenible, an organization committed to advancing clean energy projects across Latin America. Their mission is to shift economies towards 100% renewable energy for electricity and transport, optimizing energy efficiency across all stages of energy use. Key initiatives include the Nuestra Energa program, which installs solar projects in community centers like orphanages and schools, and Intita Rikuchiway, which focuses on larger solar installations in educational and healthcare institutions in Peru. These efforts aim to reduce costs and emissions, promoting sustainable economic growth and environmental protection.
Patagonia: The Free School of Permaculture
Trek Relief is supporting Alma Verde's initiative to build a Free School of Permaculture, aimed at educating communities in permaculture and sustainable living by offering free education and training. The initiative focuses on environmental restoration, social empowerment, and economic development by providing workshops, courses, and hands-on training. The goal is to create self-sustaining ecosystems and strengthen community resilience against climate change, promoting a lifestyle that respects and integrates with nature.
Where we work
External reviews
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Our results
How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.
Number of participants engaged in programs
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
The total number of donating/fundraising participants attending our program trips per year.
Total number of fields trips
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Holding steady
Context Notes
The total number of program trips being run per year.
Number of program sites
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
The total number of programs that are concurrently running per year.
Our Sustainable Development Goals
Learn more about Sustainable Development Goals.
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 current programs are addressing issues that have emerged due to our changing climate.
NEPAL: EMPOWERING RESILIENCY
Work with local NGOs that help communities unify, prioritize problems, and implement their solutions to help bolster them through the changing climate.
CHILE: GROWING SUSTAINABILITY
Seed the growth of small Patagonian communities into sustainable towns by facilitating eco-tourism, regenerative agriculture, green infrastructure, and educational integration in Aysn, Chile.
MONGOLIA: NURTURING LEADERSHIP
Promote environmental conservation in Mongolia by hosting educational stewardship initiatives at Gorkhi-Terelj National Park.
PERU: SUPPORT CLEAN ENERGY
Educate partners about the environmental, social, and economic benefits of transitioning to clean energy.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
We work with communities to implement solutions and develop budgets that empower local leaders, and our fundraising trekkers help power it physically and financially.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
We recognize a desire to do good in all of us.
We thrive best when there is an adventure AND a purpose.
We utilize crowdfunding to raise funds and awareness.
We invite individuals into giving and service.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
NEPAL
2016: We supported the Langtang Management and Reconstruction Committee in rebuilding Langtang Valley after the 2015 earthquake by hosting fundraising treks and donating $15,000.
2017 - 2021: We adopted a crumbling school in Langtang Valley and lovingly funded and rebuilt it by running 14 trips into the region.
2018: We hosted a trip to Everest Base Camp and delivered $22,000 of medical equipment to the Solukhumbu district of Nepal, including the first dental chair in the region.
2021: Even as global travel stopped, our passion for making a difference remained strong. In 2021, our Founder, Candice Young, organized an online fundraiser and matched donations to aid in the distribution of hot meals, food stocks, and medical supplies during Nepal's time of greatest need.
2022 - present: We returned to Solukhumbu to help build greenhouses. We supported 96 families in receiving greenhouse materials and more than ten different kitchen garden seeds, training by an agriculture technician, and participation in community leadership development programs.
MONGOLIA
2018 - 2019: We installed the first trash cans in Gorkhi-Terelj National Park, planted native trees to combat desertification, and implemented educational National Park Cleanup days with youth.
PATAGONIA
2020 - present: We built the first of several waste recycling points and organic community gardens in small communities in a lesser-known Patagonian region in Chile, along with integrating educational programming on waste management, regenerative agriculture, and eco-tourism.
2023 - present: We are supporting The Free School of Permaculture at Alma Verde, which is focused on creating a free space to educate communities in sustainable living practices, aiming to enhance environmental, social, and economic resilience through hands-on workshops and training.
PERU
2024: In our newest program, we've partnered with Mundo Sostenible to focus on installing solar energy systems in community-focused facilities like orphanages and schools, reducing costs and emissions to support economic development and healthcare infrastructure.
How we listen
Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.
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How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?
To identify and remedy poor client service experiences, To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To make fundamental changes to our programs and/or operations, To inform the development of new programs/projects, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve, To understand people's needs and how we can help them achieve their goals
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Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?
We collect feedback from the people we serve at least annually, We take steps to ensure people feel comfortable being honest with us, We act on the feedback we receive
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What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?
It is difficult to get the people we serve to respond to requests for feedback
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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- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
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
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
Trek Relief
Board of directorsas of 02/28/2024
Chi Nguyen
Rob C. Williams
Chi A. Nguyen
Charles A. Dal Corobbo
Jay L. Humphrey
Steven W. Wong
Wendy M. Meek
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
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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
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as:
The organization's co-leader identifies as:
Race & ethnicity
Gender identity
Transgender Identity
Sexual orientation
Disability
Equity strategies
Last updated: 10/17/2019GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more
- We employ non-traditional ways of gathering feedback on programs and trainings, which may include interviews, roundtables, and external reviews with/by community stakeholders.
- We seek individuals from various race backgrounds for board and executive director/CEO positions within our organization.
- We engage everyone, from the board to staff levels of the organization, in race equity work and ensure that individuals understand their roles in creating culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.