Climb4

Climb4

Non-profit Organizations

Outfitting veterans with the essentials they need to begin an outdoor lifestyle.

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About us

In 2016, Leslie Irby was battling depression and anxiety that was connected to her service while on active duty in the United States Navy.  She explored ways to combat her emotional trauma through traditional medicine and did not find the help she needed. Instead, Leslie turned to an unorthodox form of treatment - a thru-hike on the 2,650 mile long Pacific Crest Trail.   There was only one problem.  Leslie did not have the gear required for the journey.  A close friend solicited help from other veterans and they all donated the gear to Leslie.  She sold most of her belongings and mentally prepared herself for what the next several months would bring. Most of that was unknown.  But she had the grit and the determination, and now she had the tools to begin the journey. In April of 2017, she embarked on her journey at the Pacific Coast trailhead along the U.S. and Mexican border.  Bag on her back, a spring sun that hung high in a cloudless sky, and a brand new adventure was at her heels. Over the next several months she endured long days in all types of weather and persevered through periods of solitude that were punctuated by moments of interaction with fellow thru-hikers. She marveled at the beautiful expanse of the Sierra Nevada mountain range in central California, roamed through the Pacific Northwest in the foothills of Mt. Hood and Mt. Rainier, and took her pack off for the last time at Monument 78 at the Canadian Border.  This experience begged the question of who else needed backcountry therapy?  There are millions of veterans who suffer from depression, anxiety, physical disabilities, PTSD, and other wounds that people may never hear about.  These questions were the springboard for Climb4 and our goal is to provide a kit of the essential pieces of gear to make the backcountry more accessible to the men and women who need it most.

Website
Www.climb-4.org
Industry
Non-profit Organizations
Company size
2-10 employees
Type
Nonprofit
Founded
2019

Employees at Climb4

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Updates

  • Climb4 reposted this

    View profile for Leslie Irby, graphic
    Leslie Irby

    Believer | Long-Distance Backpacker | Veteran Mental Health Advocate

    Friends, As we close out our year, we want to extend our deepest thanks and appreciation for everything you all have done to keep Climb4 successful in its mission to get veterans outside to enjoy the wilderness on their own time. As we move forward into 2024, we’d like to share with you some information on our plans. Climb4 recently partnered with the Veteran's Outdoor Advocacy Group (VOAG) coalition, a group of nonprofits dedicated to veterans with shared admiration for the wild world around us. VOAG continues to be the lighthouse, changing the way the government sees and validates veteran outdoor recreation as a vital part of veterans’ mental health. In combination with outfitting veterans with backpacking gear, Climb4 intends to host two retreats and one backpacking trip that includes psychotherapy in the structure, with the wilderness as its integral co-therapist. This backpacking trip will give us data that Veteran's Outdoor Advocacy Group (VOAG) needs to continue its mission. For all of this, we need to raise ~20,000$ ($11,000 for 25 veteran gear kits, and $9,000 for the retreats, backpacking trip and a couple of local overnight camp-outs). In preparation for a fundraiser that will provide us what we need to be successful for 2024, we ask you to share this to your social media platforms. We are in need of the following: •Food sponsors •Drink sponsors •T-shirt cost sponsors •Raffle Donations to include items AND services in the Hampton Roads area •Private Donations If you know anyone or any companies who may be interested in assisting us, please have them email leslie@climb-4.org.

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