Yesterday, adidas Outdoor announced a new partnership with1Climb, a non-profit organization co-founded by world-renowned climber Kevin Jorgeson. The partnership is dedicated to empowering young people’s lives through the sport of climbing. Ultimately this will enable 1Climb to install 10 new permanent climbing walls in Boys and Girls Clubs across the United States.
For Jorgeson, there has been no greater gift in his own life than being introduced to rock climbing ,“Climbing has enabled the life of my dreams and it all started with that one visit to a gym when I was 9.” On founding 1Climb, “I felt like the opportunities for kids to discover climbing were pretty narrow. Now, instead of hoping the next generation finds climbing, we bring the outdoor sport directly to where they live in the city. Climbing has the ability to change the trajectory of a kid’s life,” said Jorgeson.
As part of their work with the Boys and Girls Clubs, 1Climb creates close relationships with local climbing gyms to help mentor the kids and maintain each wall. Adding to this, Tim Baum, 1Climb’s Executive Director explains, “What makes climbing special is so much more than a climbing wall. It’s the people behind the sport. The community. That’s why our climbing gym partners are such an important part of our programs.”
The 10 new climbing walls will be built in areas of New York City, Los Angeles, and Chicago. This partnership expects to open four new climbing walls by the end of 2019, with the remaining six opening by the end of 2020.
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