Thrasher Magazine

The Action Sports Kids Foundation started by building skateparks in Long Beach to keep kids off the streets and away from gang activity. They’ve had an astonishing success rate, keeping their 80 members out of danger, and helping to build eight parks around LB. Be grateful for ASK next time you hit the rebuilt Cherry Park.

Formerly known as the Tony Hawk Foundation, the Skatepark Project works to build skateparks in all 50 states of the US in order to foster growing skate scenes and positive recreation for kids of all different backgrounds. So far, over $5 million has been awarded to almost 600 projects across the country and $100k has been given to Skateistan for their facilities and programs in Afghanistan, Cambodia and South Africa. The Birdman’s name may be off the marquee, but he’s still on board fulfilling the foundation’s mission—helping make more parks for the people.

Following the tragic and untimely death of professional skater Ben Raemers when he was just 28 years old, the Ben Raemers Foundation emerged to foster discussions about mental health and suicide within the skate community. Throughout our community resource pages, there are many crisis helplines, but if you’re looking for someone to talk to and are unsure where to start, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1-800-273-8255).

SkatePal is one of the most impressive skate non-profits on the planet. The organizers have been growing the Palestinian skate scene in the West Bank by building parks, running camps and encouraging Western skaters to visit Palestine for good old-fashioned skate tripping. Their programs are one of the few places where kids of all genders can participate together while also getting much-needed recreation. On top of their DIY park builds and programs, the small staff of Charlie, Theo, Aram and Phil were also foundational in creating the first ever academic skate conference Pushing Boarders. Learn more about the group, volunteer if you can and watch the documentary or ambassador Ryan Lay’s edit from his trip through Palestine.

Every year, the Exposure puts on the largest all-women’s contest near San Diego on top of providing skate clinics for women of all ability levels and donating proceeds to shelters for domestic violence survivors. Over 170 entries from 15 countries came to compete for the $60k prize-purse at the last Exposure. Watch the full documentary that started it all and show up to the next event to see some of the gnarliest women’s skating in the world.

Skate Aid runs over 20 projects in 18 countries to improve the individual social lives of kids and teenagers with a focus on cognitive skills. Using skating as a vehicle, it also runs workshops to educate youth about a broad range of social issues to make a more tolerant and inclusive skate community.

Building skateparks around the world in places where there isn’t the public infrastructure to make it happen is the first objective, but what happens as a result of Make Life Skate Life’s work is hundreds more people falling in love with skating in places you’d never expect. It started with building India’s first public skatepark and blossomed into a full-blown operation that has now made public parks in Bolivia, Brazil, Jordan, Myanmar, Ethiopia, Morocco and beyond. For the most epic trip ever, plot a course for all their parks in one go.

Cuba Skate, as you can tell by the name, facilitates a growing skate scene in Cuba by bringing in product from US skate companies like Baker, Spitfire, Vans, Cons and more while also building DIY spots for their community. Support the mission so we can see some sick vids out of Havana and beyond.

If you’ve heard of a skate charity, chances are it was Skateistan. From running skate schools in Afghanistan and teaching kids lifelong skills with the board, Skateistan has grown into a massive force for good around the globe and now connects other skate orgs to collaborate with the Good Push Alliance. There was even an Oscar-winning documentary made about the girls in the program.