THRIVE OUTSIDE Chicago

The Thrive Outside Chicago Community, led by The Nature Conservancy, is bringing together an existing network of partners dedicated to reducing barriers to the outdoors by increasing meaningful outdoor engagement opportunities for youth and adults in Chicago. Our partners are focused on youth-centered environmental education, growing food in community gardens, environmental justice, environmental stewardship and citizen science in green spaces, community wellness, and health, and providing outdoor engagement opportunities to Black, Indigenous, and other People of Color (BIPOC) and Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, Asexual, and all other sexualities, sexes, and genders (LGBTQIA+) and other groups that have been historically excluded in outdoor programming. The goal of this network is to foster outdoor experiences to create passionate outdoor enthusiasts.

Key Focus Areas:

Community engagement, citizen science, outdoor activities in forest preserves, green spaces, the Chicago River and Lake Michigan, health and wellness, and environmental justice

Backbone Organization:

The Nature Conservancy

Steering Committee Partners:

Asian Climbing Collective, Black People Outside (BPO), Chicago Adventure Therapy (CAT), Chicago BIPOC Birders, Chicago Climbs, Faith in Place, Latino Outdoors Great Lakes, Outdoor Color Crew, Queers on the Rocks

Community Partners:

All Things Through Christ Outreach Ministries (ATTCOM), Chicago Community Arts Studio, Chicago Muslims Green Team (CMGT), Chicago Park District, Chicago Prairie Tennis Club, Chicago Tool Library, Climb Big Chicago, Envision Unlimited, Escala, Feminist Bird Club, Friends of Big Marsh, Girls in the Game, Light of Loving Kindness, Maxwell Street Community Garden, One Family Illinois (formerly SOS Children’s Villages Illinois), Out Our Front Door, Outdoor Asian Chicago, Papalotzin Healing Collective, PODER, Project Impact 180, South Side Nature Play, U.N.I.O.N. Impact Center, We Keep You Rollin’, We Strive for Change, West Lawn Conservation Club, Young Men’s Educational Network (YMEN)