REI Gear Bank
REI's Gear Bank loans high quality gear and equipment free of charge to youth-focused nonprofit organizations that face challenges providing necessary equipment to young people for outdoor adventures. Through equipment, such as tents, backpacks, sleeping bags, sleeping pads, raingear, camping stoves and cook sets, nonprofits can host positive and memorable outdoor experiences for young people.
REI's Gear Bank is currently available in five cities, including:
- Bloomington, Minn.
- Denver
- Los Angeles
- San Francisco
- Seattle
Since its launch in 2002, REI Gear Bank has helped provide more than 10,600 young people access to the equipment needed to experience their first hiking or camping trip. In 2007 we set a new benchmark by helping 2,807 young adventurers experience the outdoors — up from 2,291 youth in 2006.
We are considering the feasibility of expanding Gear Bank, but recognize that the program has its challenges. For example, many REI locations do not have the storage capacity to accommodate the program, required cleaning and/or repairs can create lags in product availability, and program coordination is resource intensive. However, we continue to believe Gear Bank is an effective program for supporting nonprofits and helping youth to develop a lifelong appreciation for the outdoors.
REI Gear Bank (youth)
