Adventure Enthusiasts Raise Funds for the Homeless

A Cause for Adventure launches Climb-A-Thon project with dinner and raffle fundraiser

A Cause For Adventure is kicking off their first “Cause” with the goal of raising $4481 to benefit the Homeless Garden Project, a non-profit organization based in Santa Cruz. A Cause For Adventure founders Josh and Lisa believe their adventures can benefit more than themselves, so they are raising money for a worthy cause in conjunction with their upcoming adventure in Mexico to climb and ski the 18,491 foot Pico de Orizaba – the highest mountain in Mexico and the third largest peak in North America. Climb-A-Thon fundraising efforts include dinner and raffle event on March 8, 2016 at Brady’s Yacht Club in Santa Cruz. Donations are also accepted.

Why $4481? Before attempting the summit, the couple will be staying at Piedra Grande Hut, located at 14,010 feet. Their goal of raising $4,481 represents $1 per vertical foot of elevation gain between the hut and the summit.

This is the first climb in what A Cause for Adventure hopes to be a series of increasingly high mountain ascents. For this debut fundraiser, they wanted to start local, making a big difference in their immediate community. Their fundraising goal of $4481 will cover the cost of a new $4275 rototiller for the Homeless Garden Project. The organization recently received approval for a new plot of land three times larger than their current space, but their current rototiller isn’t up to par for the job of preparing the soil on this property. A properly working rototiller is crucial to the success of the organization in farming this additional land, which will increase the scope of their program – helping and hiring more homeless trainees each year (50 yearly instead of the current 17).

The Homeless Garden Project, a 501c3 non-profit, is comprised of many hardworking individuals who make this training program possible for the community homeless population through paid employment and on-the-job training. Trainees are paid an hourly wage for their work and learn invaluable work skills through the year-long program. The project is extremely successful at their mission, with a 92% success rate of trainee graduates gaining full time employment and a stable living environment within one year of completing the program. The produce grown on the farm is sold at reasonable prices to the community through a local farmstand (CSA) and a pick-your-own program at the farm. The produce sales account for less than 10% of the organization’s income; the majority comes through donations.

Learn more about A Cause for Adventure’s Climb-A-Thon fundraiser here, and learn more about The Home Garden Project here.