Nation's Leading Bird Feeding Franchise Wild Birds Unlimited Helps Put Underserved Children In Touch With Nature

As the original and largest franchise system of backyard bird feeding and nature specialty stores, Wild Birds Unlimited has been dedicated to bringing its customers closer to nature for more than 30 years. But for the past decade, the brand has also looked beyond its stores in an effort to connect the nation’s underserved youth with the natural world.

It’s no surprise that the next generation is unfamiliar with nature in today’s tech-driven society. According to a report from Common Sense Media, teens in the U.S. spend about nine hours every single day staring at screens and connecting to media for recreational purposes alone. That’s why Wild Birds Unlimited works with the National Audubon Society through its Pathways To Nature for Kids program. The brand provides scholarships in order to give underserved children the opportunity to attend nature-centric summer camps that they otherwise would never be exposed to.

“Our goal with these Audubon scholarships is simple. We want to send as many kids as we possibly can to camp so they can connect with nature,” said John Schaust, Wild Birds Unlimited’s chief naturalist. “By giving children a chance to experience all that their natural surroundings have to offer, we’re laying the foundation for what often becomes a lifelong passion for the outdoors and conservation.”

Wild Birds Unlimited first partnered with Audubon in 2007 after the release of Richard Louv’s book Last Child in the Woods. The book details the “nature deficit disorder” that young kids are facing all across the country. Wild Birds Unlimited believes that by granting scholarships for children to attend camp at Audubon’s 31 nature centers across the country, they’ll be able to help end that epidemic.

Community outreach efforts

“What we do at every Wild Birds Unlimited store is a gift. We constantly work to make our mission statement a reality—we bring people and nature together, and we do it with excellence,” said Schaust. “You never know when a child might be inspired by nature the same way that they’re inspired by music or art. We firmly believe it’s our responsibility as the leading bird feeding franchise in the country to help light that spark.”

2016 will mark the tenth summer that Wild Birds Unlimited has helped put underserved children in touch with nature. So far, the brand’s Pathways To Nature for Kids program has granted the National Audubon Society $310,000 in scholarships, helping more than 2,000 kids between the ages of six and 17 attend Audubon summer camps.

Franchise impact and legacy

“What makes Wild Birds Unlimited so unique is that the business of backyard bird feeding brings our customers joy. What starts as a hobby becomes a fun part of daily routines,” said Schaust. “The kids who receive our Audubon scholarships are the next generation of bird feeding enthusiasts, and we’re proud to help them develop that passion.”