The High Fives Foundation has expanded their mission to service entire mountain action sports community!
The Lake Tahoe-based High Fives Foundation, a national 501.c.3 nonprofit organization, has updated its mission statement. The updated mission of the foundation is to support the dreams of mountain action sports athletes by raising injury prevention awareness while providing resources and inspiration to those who suffer life-altering injuries.
High Fives’ enhanced mission statement increases the number of athletes who will benefit from the foundations vast program services. High Fives will now be able to serve both the winter action and mountain action sports communities.
“Broadening the scope of the foundation comes at a time when on-mountain injuries are becoming all too common,” said Roy Tuscany, High Fives Foundation co-founder and executive director. “It has always been my vision to service the winter action sports and mountain action sports communities, grow the Healing Network and develop new and innovative educational and recovery programs. The expanded mission of the foundation will allow this vision to be developed and come to life in an positively impactful way.”
High Fives currently has several programs in place designed to provide financial support to injured athletes, promote injury prevention awareness and provide healing resources.
Since the organization’s January 2009 inception, the Empowerment program service has assisted 67 athletes from 19 states in nine respective funding categories which include: living expenses, insurance, travel, health, healing network, adaptive equipment, winter equipment, programs and stoke (positive energy, outlook and attitude). In 2014, the High Fives Foundation set a budget of disbursing $196,000 via board-approved grants through the Winter Empowerment Fund. By 2014’s end, 29 High Fives Athletes and two organizations were awarded a sum of 37 board-approved grants for a total of $249,000.
“High Fives is the premier safety net in the winter action sports community, but we recognize the need to service the entire mountain sports community,” said High Fives Foundation Chairman of the Board of Directors Galen Gifford. “Injured athletes from other sports have begun contacting the foundation for grant support toward recovery and other resources. As a result we’ve proudly expanded the mission of the foundation to serve all athletes living an active mountain action sports lifestyle.”
“It is the vision of the Board, over the next five years, to position High Fives as the premier safety net organization of the mountain action sports community,” Gifford said.
