Industry News
Every winter, Share Winter Foundation helps thousands of kids experience skiing and riding for the very first time. Think about that moment you clicked into skis or strapped into a board, pointed downhill, and felt the rush—that’s what Share Winter is creating at scale. Nichelle Sanders, Board Member of Share Winter Foundation, is hosting and paying for a Snow Ball on Friday, October 24, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. The Snow Ball will be at Big Snow in New Jersey, with tickets costing $125.
The Snow Ball event will bring winter enthusiasts to the only indoor ski facility in North America, where skiers and snowboarders can get some pre-season turns in. The event will feature cocktails and raise money for programs that support winter activities for kids. Share Winter typically funds programs for three to five years to help facilitate growth in urban and rural areas for children to enjoy winter activities.
- Related: Ski Utah and Youth Sports Alliance Announce Expanded School Program for Young Skiers and Riders
Share Winter supports thousands of kids in over 75 programs, which enables them to hit the slopes for the very first time this winter. For many, it’s more than a sport; it’s confidence, freedom, and a community that welcomes them. “I’m an example of someone who was introduced to the sport through a trip put on by the Washington, D.C. Department of Recreation when I was in the third grade. That experience gave me a love of this sport, which continues in my life to this day,” Sanders said.
The reality is that winter sports aren’t accessible to everyone. Higher-income families still dominate skiing and snowboarding, and the costs of gear, tickets, and travel keep many kids off the mountain. Share Winter is changing that, offering young people who have been denied access to the slopes for too long a way in.
“Expanding ski and snowboard access for NYC youth is always at the front of mind, and growing this community is essential to who we are and everything we hope to become,” Constance Beverly, CEO of Share Winter, said. “We currently serve 1,500 youth in the NYC area, and we’d love to grow that number. The ski community here is so strong, and we’re so honored to be a small part of it.”
Kids not only learn how to ski and ride, but also cultivate and build long-term relationships with winter sports. By providing access, education, and community, Share Winter aims to develop a new generation of skiers and riders that is diverse, inclusive, and, above all, passionate about winter sports. “Most kids who ski or ride are introduced to the sport by their parents; however, that makes the pipeline for the next generation of snow sports athletes and enthusiasts artificially small,” Sanders said.
Working with over 70 partner programs across the U.S., Share Winter helps cover barriers such as lift tickets, rentals, lessons, outerwear, and transportation, so kids from historically excluded communities can drop in and fall in love with winter. And it works: for $500, a kid gets an entire season on snow. That’s lessons, gear, access, and community. More than that, it’s confidence, accomplishment, and a chance to be part of a sport and culture that can shape a lifetime.
The work Share Winter does wouldn’t be possible without the generosity of individual skiers and riders, the mountain partners donating slope time and lessons, and the brands stepping up with outerwear and gear. Without them, this movement wouldn’t be possible. Together, the goal is simple: make winter more inclusive, stoke the next generation, and keep our sport alive by opening it up to everyone.
The Share Winter Foundation’s First Chair, First Funding program is designed to get children who may not be able to afford it on the slopes. A donation of $500 will enable a child to ski for an entire season, while a donation of $125 will cover the cost of their first chair. Share Winter is helping transform the lives of thousands of children who might never have the opportunity to ski or snowboard. Through events like the Snow Ball at Big Snow, Share Winter helps break down the barriers to the costs of skiing, including access, gear, and lessons.
