The Nature Explorer Backpack Project Nature Explorer Backpacks / Mochilas de Explorador
Each summer Brushwood Center and partners across Lake County team up to provide bilingual Nature Explorer Backpacks / Mochilas de Explorador to youth and family members in Waukegan, North Chicago, Round Lake, and Highwood. In 2024, we distributed 1,500 backpacks.
In alignment with the recommendations from Brushwood’s recently released report, Health, Equity, and Nature: A Changing Climate in Lake County, IL, The Nature Explorer Backpack Project aims to empower young people as change-makers to help address systemic environmental and health injustices in our communities.
This year, the Backpack contents and accompanying programs focused on supporting children and their emotional health and wellbeing, using the stories of healing trauma on the land in Lake County (i.e., converted brownfield sites, the restored Waukegan dunes, etc.). Brushwood Center provided activities, tools, resources and a bilingual nature explorer activity book, Planting Seeds, for coping with individual and community climate anxiety through collective action and social emotional skill building.
Impact
In 2023, the 1,200 Nature Explorer Backpacks reached 1,000+ youth and family members in Waukegan, North Chicago, Highwood, and Round Lake. Backpack distribution each year is tracked, including the number of people in each household who receive a Backpack, ages of children, and city of residence.
Additionally, we use surveys to measure outcomes at each distribution event including:
1) confidence levels visiting nature sites as a family
2) wellbeing outcomes affiliated with the nature activities
3) identification of additional outdoor activities that would most benefit youth and families.
Lastly, we are conducting follow up interviews with all of our program partners to gain insight into how families used the bags beyond our initial events and to improve the project’s success in the future. We will be sharing 2024’s impact soon!
History
The Nature Explorer Backpack Project is a part of Brushwood Center’s It’s a W.I.N. initiative serving families from overburdened households in Waukegan, North Chicago, Round Lake, and Highwood. These communities were severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, experiencing disproportionately higher cases and deaths from COVID-19, more severe financial tolls, and significant mental health challenges.
The Backpack Project began in the spring of 2020, as a result of Brushwood Center’s partners indicating a need for supplies and activities for families during the lockdown. Many of these families had to make difficult decisions when it came to budgeting, and purchasing supplies like backpacks became an extra burden. The backpacks alleviated some financial burden and provided nature and art resources to help families access the health benefits that come with spending time outside and exploring creative outlets.
How it Works
Partnership Coordination: Brushwood Center coordinates a collaborative of organizations who contribute to the Backpacks each year! Partners agree to provide backpack materials, volunteers or space for backpack assembly, and/or sites and community networks for backpack distribution.
Distribution: Backpacks are distributed at locally-organized events where families can engage in hands-on activities and nature walks, while learning how to use the bilingual (English & Spanish) materials in the backpacks. Nature Explorer Backpacks / Mochilas de Explorador encourages families to explore the natural spaces around them through activities focused on nurturing wellness and creativity.
2024 Distribution Partners
Cool Learning Experience
Sharing Our Shore-Waukegan (SOS-W)
Heart of the City (HOTC)
HACES Illinois
Waukegan Public Library
Nuestro Center
Round Lake Area Public Library
Kids Rank
Round Lake Bilingual Parent Advisory
North Chicago Library
Mano a Mano
Warren Newport Public Library
Highwood Library
2024 Sponsors
Thank you to our 2024 Nature Explorer Backpack Project Sponsors!
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois | The Buchanan Family Foundation | Community Outreach Council at Northwestern Lake Forest Hospital | Forest Service International Foundation / USDA Forest Service | Grainger | Grainger Foundation | Jonathan Huisel
| Synchrony | Wintrust Community Banks
If you would like to sponsor the 2025 Nature Explorer Backpack Project, please contact us!
