Ski4All to host free ski day for children in need

Ski4All, a volunteer-run nonprofit, will host its next free ski day for children in need March 1 at Mountain Creek.

The organization’s mission is to provide children experiencing difficult circumstances the opportunity to enjoy skiing while benefiting from outdoor winter exercise. The ski day brings together families, volunteers and community partners for an introduction to the sport, often for children who have never been on a mountain before.

Ski4All was founded in 2016 as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit by Cory Gorczycki, who turned to skiing as a way to cope with grief after losing two grandparents in 2015. Inspired by their legacy of community service, he created the organization to provide free ski days to children who could not otherwise afford the experience, including foster youth and others not served by existing outdoor recreation programs.

Research conducted during the organization’s formation found few programs nationwide providing skiing access to economically disadvantaged children and none focused specifically on children in foster care. Ski4All began organizing ski days in July 2016.

In its first winter season, 2016-17, the nonprofit hosted three ski days for children in foster care. One participating agency, Children’s Aid and Family Services of New Jersey, praised the program’s impact.

Since its founding, Ski4All has organized more than 40 ski days at mountains in three states, raised more than $30,000 and served more than 400 children.

The program is supported by volunteers, local families and donors. Participants include children in foster care, residential treatment centers and economically challenged households. Some are new English learners.

Ski days include group instruction followed by time on the slopes, where volunteers ski alongside participants, offering encouragement and instruction. Organizers say the experience helps build confidence and self-esteem as children learn a new skill in a supportive environment.