Members of our team recently volunteered at an outdoor classroom in Lincoln, Nebraska, helping to spread mulch at the Dimensions Education Program’s Nature Explore Classroom. The facility offers programs for children through kindergarten age.

The popularity of nature-based outdoor classrooms is steadily increasing in the United States due to emerging research about the benefits these environments have on early-childhood development. Used year-round, these classrooms can assist with children’s social, emotional, physical and intellectual development.

Haley Martinez, development director for Dimensions Educational Research Foundation, expressed her appreciation for our volunteers, saying, “We can’t thank you enough for helping to coordinate this volunteer day for Dimensions.

“It is a HUGE help for all the teachers and administrative staff who work at this location,” said Haley, who is married to one of our operations technicians, Antonio Martinez. “This is also where our youngest daughter goes to preschool so it’s especially meaningful to us!”

Thank you, volunteers, for helping this nonprofit improve its learning environment!

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