THRIVE OUTSIDE ST Louis

The Thrive Outside St. Louis Community, led by River City Outdoors, is activating a network of intersectional community partners – nonprofits, schools, youth service providers, health organizations, recreation providers, and corporate and governmental partners, to share resources and skills, and build a coalition to engage the St. Louis region in repeat and reinforcing outdoor experiences. With an emphasis on youth and marginalized communities, its goal is to address outdoor equity barriers and co-create positive outdoor experiences in order to foster better mental, physical, and emotional health and wellbeing in the St. Louis community and help create a city where outdoor recreation is accessible and embraced by all people. Key initiatives include catalyzing equitable outdoor programming, supporting the development of Action Adventure Clubs, and providing support for grassroots outdoor community groups.

Key Focus Areas:

Connecting youth and families to nature-based activities, Leveraging gear libraries and leadership training to strengthen and further develop a diverse community of well-resourced and skilled outdoor leaders in St. Louis, and building an Outdoor Equity Fund

Backbone Organization:

River City Outdoors

Advisory Board Partners:

River City Foundation, Terrain Magazine, Missouri Department of Conservation, Great Rivers Greenway, Trailnet, Missouri Environmental Education Association, The Boys & Girls Club of Greater St. Louis, Northside Community Housing Inc., Ujima STL, The Nature Conservancy in Missouri, and the Clark-Fox Family Foundation

Community Partners:

ARCHS, Bailey Youth Enrichment Foundation, Black Transcendence, Blueprint 4, Boys & Girls Club Adams Park, Bworks, Carnahan Public School, Cherokee Recreation Center, Children’s Education Alliance of Missouri, Confluence Academy, Old North, East St. Louis Lincoln Middle School, East St. Louis Youth Development Alliance, Explore STL Parks, Flance Early Learning Center, Forest Park Forever, Forest ReLeaf of Missouri, Fresh Thyme, Gene Slay’s Girls & Boys Club of St. Louis, Greenway Network Inc., Join Hands East St. Louis, LEAD STL, Lessie Bates Davis Neighborhood House, LifeWise STL, Lift For Life Academy, Little Creek Nature Area, Love the Lou, Marquette Recreation Center, Missouri Charter Public School Association, Missouri Confluence Waterkeeper, Missouri Environmental Education Association, Missouri Master Naturalists, Missouri River Relief, Missouri Stream Team, MoBOT Garden’s Outdoor Youth Corps, Navigate STL Schools, North Newstead Association, O’Fallon YMCA, Open Space STL, Outdoor Foundation, Outdoors Empowered Network, Recreation Council of Greater St. Louis, River Management Society, Shaw Nature Reserve, Sherwood Forest, Sinai Family Life Center, South City YMCA, STL Youth Jobs, Swim on Foundation, The Legacy Center, The Village 314, Thomas Dunn Learning Center, Tower Grove Farmers Market, Unleashing Potential, Upper Limits, WreSTL