MAI Supports Veterans, Youth and the Community Through Connections to Nature
From Mt. Adams Institute:
By Cole Goodwin
Trout Lake, WA Dec. 10, 2024 — This November, Mt. Adams Institute (MAI), a non-profit based in Trout Lake, WA, is inviting the community to “Invest in Connection and Conservation” with their end-of-year giving campaign. Donations will support MAI’a Vetswork, Land Stewards, and Sense of Place programs which work to strengthen Veterans, youth, and our communities' connection to nature.
VetsWork and Land Stewards are AmeriCorps internships that provide hands-on experience to Veterans and young adults in natural resource management, environmental stewardship, and conservation.
MAI’s interns also help build capacity for organizations such as the U.S. Forest Service and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to accomplish work that would otherwise go by the wayside. All while simultaneously supporting Veterans and young adults in building their career readiness.
“These internships fill critical needs for partner organizations while helping interns build purpose, confidence, and a sense of hope for the future,” said Cole Goodwin, Outreach Coordinator. “The stories of hope and transformation we hear every day—from Veterans rediscovering their footing in civilian life to young adults charting new career paths—are incredible. It’s very synergistic.”
Interns help fill a number of needs, doing everything from trail work and campground maintenance to research, lab work, outreach, and environmental education.
But for Goodwin, it’s the stories that come out of this work that make it all worthwhile.
“It’s an honor to be part of MAI. It sounds kind of cheesy but every day I get to witness how our programs are changing lives and the landscape- one day and one internship at a time. It's honestly pretty incredible,” said Goodwin.
“Every day I get to hear incredible stories from Veterans who are finding their personal and professional grounding again in the outdoors. Young adults who are building a sense of purpose and hope for the future. And from our partner agencies and community members who are grateful for all our interns’ hard work, both in the field and behind the scenes,” said Goodwin.
This year’s end-of-year fundraising campaign highlights those stories to raise awareness of MAI’s impact both locally and nationally. Locally, MAI interns currently support interpretive education, volunteer management, trail work, environmental research, and invasive species removal efforts in the Columbia River Gorge, Mt. Hood National Forest, and Conboy Lake National Wildlife Refuge.
While some may not have heard of MAI’s internships, a lot of Columbia Gorge locals have heard of MAI’s Sense of Place Speaker Series, now in its 15th season. Sense of Place is an important part of MAI’s mission to support environmental education and strengthen community connections to the landscape. This season, host Sarah Fox was honored with a Community Storytelling Fellowship from Oregon Humanities for her work.
“Here in the Columbia River Gorge, our Sense of Place series is probably our most well-known program and for good reason! It’s a program that hits close to the heart of our work, which is to strengthen our connection to the landscape and to each other,” said Goodwin.
This year has been an especially special season for the program as Sense of Place host Sarah Fox was honored with a Community Storytelling Fellowship from Oregon Humanities for her work telling the stories of underserved and underrepresented communities.
“We’re really proud of her work and very grateful for all the behind-the-scenes work and volunteer time that she puts into making sure that this program is a success,” said Aaron Stanton, Executive Director of MAI.
Visit to MtAdamsInstitute.org learn more or click here to Donate to MAI’s End of Year Giving Campaign.
About Mt Adams Institute
Mt. Adams Institute is a small nonprofit with a big impact. Our programs connect people to the natural world—from treetops to lake bottom and from desert scrubland to Alaskan wilderness. Our programs inspire environmental stewardship, help veterans and young adults build careers through hands-on learning, and partner with land management agencies nationwide. Programs like VetsWork and Land Stewards, both AmeriCorps initiatives, offer career-building opportunities in natural resources, conservation, and public lands. And our Sense of Place Speaker series and summer camps which explore the history, culture, and landscapes that shape our communities.
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