Benefits of Giving

Your financial gift supports experiences for area youth like David, who found a passion for service and the natural world through our Mountain Stewards program.

There’s something about slogging through pouring rain for eight hours with a pair of loppers that changes a man. Environmental stewardship is easy to talk about, harder to do, and sometimes most difficult to enjoy. But the rewards are worth the hardship.

How is it possible that trail work could be more fun than climbing mountains or orienteering or exploring subterranean caverns? Maybe it’s the feeling of contributing to concrete, real change, of being part of something bigger. The imaginative ninth-grader still inside of me loves feeling that he’s the secret caretaker of the forest — working hard when no one’s looking to maintain and protect this sacred ground for future wanderers.

By giving a financial gift, you experience the joy of giving while providing the opportunity for youth like David to experience learning.

Of course there are tax benefits—as a federally-recognized nonprofit organization all of your donations to Experience Learning are tax deductible. That means you can reduce your taxable income by the amount of your donation.

However the benefits of giving extend well beyond the tax deduction. Giving stimulates chemical releases in your body that increase your sense of satisfaction and reduce stress. Giving can be one of the best ways to help make the changes you want to see in the world.