Walk2Connect is a Colorado based social enterprise dedicated to taking individuals and groups on single and multi-day walking trips, instilling on-foot personal / communal connection and supporting improved walkability throughout our neighborhoods. We build custom routes and personal work plans, share communal meals, explore seldom seen roads, get to know our communities and make new friends–all while inviting a bit of spontaneity along the way. Walking is one of the easiest things we can do to boost how we feel about others, ourselves and the world around us.
Individual or Group? Think of us as your walking coach, nontraditional therapist or personal agent for change, healing and connection. Whether you are on your own or you’re a part of a community-it’s about you. We go through a series of assessments to inform custom route building and work plans.
Neighborhood? We want your community to do more window shopping, neighbor talking and body moving. We can work to create fun walking opportunities, neighborhood specific walking maps, wayfaring signs and (with partners) in-depth walkability & neighborhood safety audits.
Q & A with Walk2Connect:
- Name one unique fact about your organization that others might find surprising.
With a robust social business model, cutting edge leadership, and dynamic partnerships, Walk2Connect is the only entity of its kind across the country. We sustain our organization as nimble service-providers to a diverse host of government, non-profit, and health focused agencies. We also champion a growing number of contract-level walking trip leaders and “Life@3MPH” Members that play a blossoming role in sustaining our mission-driven work.
- What is your organization’s vision of a “walkable” future?
Walk2Connect envisions a movement of bold individuals and communities leading and investing in walking programs that increase and improve social, communal, and personal connections.
- Name one project that your organization hopes to achieve in 2015 to meet your organization’s vision
We have an incredibly passionate and gifted body of Ambassadors / Walking Movement Leaders that go above and beyond to lead weekly and monthly walks. We want them feeling supported, empowered, and taken care of when it comes to continued training opportunities, helpful tools and resources, and opportunities to celebrate their efforts. We hope to mature our financial capacity to bring many new investments and opportunities their way throughout 2015!
We will be having a Crowdfunding campaign on IndieGoGo going LIVE on June 4 for 30-45 days. Learn more about it here: www.walk2connect.com
- Using only five words, how would you describe your organization?
Relational, Active, Healing, Innovative, Community
- Name one project that you are most proud to accomplish in 2014?
We accomplish so much through our partner organizations who invest in walking program. The most rewarding has been the deeply connected community of Golden Walks. Thanks to walking champion and City Councillor Saoirse Charis-Graves, the City of Golden [Colorado] contracted Walk2Connect to support walking programming during Go Golden!, the Mayor’s month-long healthy living initiative. We trained 12 walking trip leaders including the mayor and 3 city councillors who then led 22 walks during September. The walks were a huge success and provided opportunities for less physically active residents to move and connect with city leadership.
Building on the success of Go Golden! and with ongoing support from Walk2Connect, Saoirse launched “Golden Walks”, a free community walking program that removes barriers to whole health outcomes by creating meaningful connections to others and to place. Golden Walks hosts 2-4 walks each week and has over 200 members, many of whom are seniors or not otherwise engaged in regular physical activity. With conversational and gentle paced walking trips and strong demonstration of care, Golden Walks is a vibrant hub of connected community members.
For more information go to: http://www.walk2connect.com.
