October 29th 2010 – The North Face has awarded a $2500 grant to Audubon New
York’s For the Birds! program to help children and families explore the outdoors. For the Birds! is Audubon’s premier elementary education program that teaches environmental awareness and appreciation of nature through the study of birds. Audubon New York was selected from hundreds of applications because of our mission of connecting people with nature. The grant is part of the inaugural commitment of $250,000 from The North Face Explore Fund, enabling more than 100 programs that will affect an estimated 85,000 young people.

“We are thrilled to receive this grant from The North Face and to be recognized as part of the national movement to inspire youth to explore the outdoors.” said Albert E. Caccese Executive Director of Audubon New York. “This exciting opportunity will allow us to open new eyes to wonders of nature that can be found in the New York metropolitan area and help create the next generation of conservationists.”

“This important grant will be used to fund projects for New York City’s elementary school children to improve the wildlife habitat in their communities by planting, weeding and mulching in community gardens and city parks,” said Kim Keirnan, For the Birds! Program Coordinator. “Gardening projects provide students with a hands-on learning experience that gets them outside and active improving not only their own health, but also the quality of life in their communities by beautifying local open spaces.”

The For the Birds! program was established in 1997 to provide a hands-on educational experience that encourages an awareness of the natural world in one’s own neighborhood. Since it’s founding, the program has empowered students to take an active interest in protecting their local environment; helped teachers incorporate environmental education into their curriculum; and provided opportunities
for volunteers to get involved with their local schools and natural areas.

In addition, Audubon New York has been able to advance the mission exponentially with the support of several important partner organizations. For the Birds! would not be possible without our collaboration with the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation. This past year, approximately 1,000 students and their teachers and parents visited major parks in the City because
of For the Birds! including Central Park, Pelham Bay and Van Cortlandt Parks, as well as Jamaica
Bay Wildlife Refuge in Queens. Recent grantors of the For the Birds! program include the Newman’s
Own Foundation, the Brenner Family Foundation, the Deutsche Bank Americas Foundation, the City
Gardens Club, the New York City Environmental Fund, and Toyota TogetherGreen.

“Our goal is to enable more people to get outside and explore their world in ways that are meaningful to them,” said Steve Rendle, President of The North Face. “We’re very proud to launch the Explore Fund and support Audubon New York and the other impressive organizations that are making outdoor exploration possible, and a priority, in communities across the country.”

For the Birds! launched its fall 2010 program on October 14th and plans for spring habitat enhancement projects are underway. To learn more about Audubon New York and For the Birds!
visit http://ny.audubon.org/CentersEdu_ForTheBirds.html. To learn more about all of the Explore Fund grantees and to keep up on their progress visit www.planetexplore.com and www.twitter.com/AudubonNY.

Audubon New York, the 50,000 member State program of the National Audubon Society, is dedicated to protecting birds and other wildlife and the habitats that supports them. Our national network of community-based nature centers and chapters, scientific and educational programs, and advocacy on behalf of areas sustaining important bird populations, engage millions of people of all ages and backgrounds in positive conservation experiences.

About The North Face Explore Fund
The North Face® Explore FundTM is a grant program committed to supporting nonprofit, community organizations that break down the barriers preventing children and families from experiencing the outdoors. The Explore Fund, administered by The Outdoor Foundation, finds, engages and provides funding for new partners that help further the mission of inspiring the next generation of explorers and conservationists by helping them discover nature's playground.

About PlanetExplore
PlanetExplore is an online community founded by The North Face, powered by partner organizations that share a passion for the outdoors, and designed to help individuals and families learn about and participate in outdoor activities and events in their area. PlanetExplore is a portal to the outdoors designed to inspire and enable people of all ages to become regularly active outside, and to enjoy the benefits gained through a connection to nature.

For more information, please visit our websites:
The Explore Fund www.explorefund.com
Planet Explore www.planetexplore.com

Contact:
Sean Mahar
Audubon New York
518-253-7000

The North Face
Pamela Bennett
510-618-3654