Take The Magic Step Foundation is happy to call SOS Outreach (“SOS”) our charity partner! Formerly known as the Snowboard Outreach Society, this grassroots organization was founded in 1993 in Vail, Colorado, to help at-risk and underprivileged youths build character and self-esteem. In January, 2009, SOS mereged with Meet the Wilderness, an organization that shared SOS Outreach’s goals, and allowed the resulting larger non-profit group to provide year round activities—from snow sports to summer rock climbing and hiking.
SOS’s primary goals are to strengthen resiliency and protective factors in participants’ lives to reduce harmful behaviors such as violence, suicide, teen pregnancy, school drop out, and drug & alcohol use. The organization’s efforts are supported by a vast network that includes mountain resorts, winter sport manufacturers, volunteers, donors, and others.
SOS partners with schools and youth agencies to identify and register eight to eighteen year-olds who will benefit most from the structure and consistency of its programs. During the 2007/2008 season 71% of participants were minorities, 73% had HHI less than $40k per year, 47% had no health insurance, and 23% had one or no adult in their household.
The dedicated SOS Team.
Each SOS participant is given the opportunity to learn how to make better choices and live a more productive life through a series of courses that reflect SOS’s extensive research in recreation, coaching, character education, adult mentorship, civic & community engagement, and leadership & vocational skills training. The overall goal of these courses is to increase self-esteem and positive participation within the community while introducing healthy lifestyle choices.
Evaluation results demonstrate that SOS’s curriculum provides participants the guidance, love and structure needed to empower them to be more self-sufficient and responsible members of their communities. As noted by United States Senator Ken Salazar (D-Colorado), who joined SOS in December 2007, SOS is “giving young people a chance to live up to the full potential of their humanity.” To learn more about SOS Outreach, a 501(c)(3) organization, please visit www.sosoutreach.org.
Take The Magic Step Welcomes SOS and Its Children’s Programs
A special message from Uta: To be surrounded by snow and brilliant blue skies while kids race down the beautiful Colorado slopes, their scarves flying, their faces lit with joy and flushed with exercise—this makes SOS Outreach very close to my heart. I love skiing and the beautiful winters in Colorado. Bringing this healthy lifestyle to underprivileged kids makes SOS very special.
I first discovered SOS through the Colorado River Ride in 2007. Here was this great charity group that was providing after school athletic activities like snow boarding and skiing to build character and self esteem in underserved children. The next year I found out more about their programs—and I knew that this was something that we should support.
SOS believes in many of the same principals as Take The Magic Step. SOS uses playful exercise—like skiing and snow boarding—in a team setting to help children accelerate their learning and social skills. What could be better? Kids playing outdoors, being healthy-and learning at the same time! I share their love of playful exercise!
Read more about the Colorado River Ride with updates from the 2009 event.
