How to Get Kids More Active by Supporting WinterKids

Help more kids to move, learn, and explore outdoors!

WinterKids is the only nonprofit in Maine dedicated exclusively to increasing outdoor physical activity in children and families in the winter—our longest, most sedentary season. Thank you for your support!

Together, we create the snowball effect:

1) We create opportunities for children to be active, vibrant, and healthy.

Your gift helps even more children to move, learn and explore outdoors in the winter, and year-round. Thank you!

2) We are building a legacy of outdoor adventure.

For 20 years, the WinterKids Passport has introduced over 75,000 Maine kids to winter sports. We are building on that success by launchin a new phone app that will help to get the whole family outside together more often in the winter, and by involving Passport alumni in future programs.

3) Our programs are award-winning and driven by results.

Our WinterKids Challenge for preschools continues to grow in Maine and New Hampshire. WinterKids received the Maine Public Health Association’s 2016 Public Health Program of Excellence Award that recognizes one effective, efficient, evidence-based public health program each year. Over the past 8 years, over 31,000 kids and 2,459 teachers have increased their outdoor physical activity minutes by 2.4 million minutes during the school day.

4) We are kid-centered and teacher-approved.

This year, two elementary schools in each of Maine’s 16 counties are going for the gold in the WinterKids Winter Games. Nearly 8,500 students and 450 teachers will compete in outdoor physical activity and nutrition challenges in January to win cash prizes, winter equipment for their school, and more.

"WinterKids provides an opportunity to directly impact kids so they develop a love for the outdoors and learn how to make good choices about food and lifestyle. That excites me!"

Derrick Hill

"The WinterKids Guide to Outdoor Active Learning has brought so much to our school, not just in ways that keep the children physically active but also in ways to keep them engaged socially and emotionally. Many of the activities are geared to get the children working together and becoming a team, no winners, no losers...just kids having fun."

Penni Theriault: Owner of Lots of Tots Childcare Center, WinterKids Challenge Teacher

"WinterKids passport helped me to start skiing, which is an activity I still love to do today, and I hope the Passport still continues to help kids like me in Maine do what they love!"

Sabie Lindsay, WinterKids Passport Alum

"I had such great opportunities growing up to ski and snowboard in the Maine mountains, so I am glad to give back by reaching out to kids and encouraging them to get outside and participate in healthy winter sports. WinterKids creates those opportunities for kids."

Seth Wescott: 2006 & 2010 Snowboard Cross Olympic Gold Medalist, WinterKids Spokesman, Sugarloafer, Dad

"Being a Passport holder gave me access to a whole world of winter activities I didn’t know were possible."

Bailey Sullivan, WinterKids Passport Alum

"It's an amazing program that you run, and we are proud to be associated with it. THANK YOU for the incredible honor!"

Johnny Boudreau: Dad, Past Downhill 24 King of the Mountain - Team Powdah 11's, Sugarloafer

"WinterKids provides such an invaluable opportunity. I am forever grateful for their work ensuring that so many Maine kids have a chance to stay active and healthy through the winter."

Ethan Strimling, Mayor of Portland Maine

"Being a parent and a WinterKids volunteer is a wonderful way to give back, but it also brings it full circle for me. My employer supports WinterKids and encourages my participation which makes it so easy to volunteer! Oh, and don't forget the WinterKids staff, they have FUN written all over them!"

Erin Embrey, WinterKids volunteer

Other Ways to Give & Get Involved

Make a Monthly Gift

Support the WinterKids Fund by making an automatic gift each month. It’s easy. To sign up online, make your first gift of $5 or more designated to the Monthly Giving Club and we will contact you to set up a recurring payment.

Make a Tribute Gift

Personalize your gift by making it in memory of or in honor of someone special to you.

HONOR SOMEONE SPECIAL TODAY

Recycle for WinterKids With Clynk

Request Clynk bags and stickers, and we will mail them to you free of charge! Just place our sticker on each bag you fill with returnable bottles and cans and drop them to your local Hannaford store.

REQUEST YOUR CLYNK BAG

Shop for WinterKids with Amazon Smile

Support WinterKids at no cost to you with Amazon Smile! Just go to smile.amazon.com, search for WinterKids Education Foundation, select us as your charitable organization, and shop! The Amazon Smile Foundation will donate 0.5% of your purchase price to WinterKids, and it doesn’t cost you a CENT!

START SHOPPING FOR WINTERKIDS

Participate in Employer Matched Giving

Many employers offer a Matching Gift Program to enhance their employees’ charitable giving efforts. Some of these programs extend to retirees and spouses as well. Check with your employer today to see if they have a Matching Gift Program.

LET US KNOW A MATCHING GIFT IS ON ITS WAY