Sierra Club Inspiring Connections Outdoors – Sacramento (Sacramento ICO) is a community outreach program that since 2004 has provided opportunities for people with limited access to the outdoors, especially youth, to safely explore and enjoy the natural world and outdoor enjoyment and recreation.
We work with local social service agencies and schools to organize trips to natural areas and outdoor activities that are fun, educational, and world-expanding, all completely free of charge. ICO volunteers plan everything, in coordination with agency/school staff, and ICO provides everything needed including food for everyone, transportation if needed, and any necessary equipment such as backpacks, water bottles, sunscreen, sunglasses, frisbees, and kites, tents and sleeping bags, sleds, snowshoes, and even coats, hats, gloves, and snow boots.
In 2019 our outings took more than 280 participants on 22 trips that included hiking, camping, backpacking, whitewater rafting, exploring a cave, snowshoeing, sledding and snow play, beach exploration, and enjoying outdoor festivals with environmental themes, and in 2022 - our first post-pandemic year - we took 130 youths and young adults on nine trips, despite wildfire, disease and weather!
Our outings offer our participants the chance to discover the wonders of the natural world and outdoor recreation in a safe and guided way. On most trips, it is the first time many of our participants have ever seen snow, the ocean, or the mountains; or their first time sledding, hiking, camping, or even taking a trip to a pumpkin patch (much less snowboarding, backpacking, kayaking or whitewater rafting!).
Sacramento is near world-class opportunities for outdoor recreation and outstanding natural areas, but many people in our communities never get a chance to experience them due to lack of resources (e.g., transportation), unfamiliarity with the opportunities, and concern about the unknown. Our mission is to introduce nature and the outdoors to young people who may lack the resources or knowledge to get there on their own and give them an opportunity to feel comfortable outside and experience outdoor recreation.
Sierra Club ICO (formerly Inner City Outings) is a national program of the Sierra Club, founded in 1969 and currently with 64 chapters nationwide. Sacramento ICO does not receive any regular funding from the Sierra Club and is responsible for all program fundraising, and 100% of funds go directly to program expenses.