About Origin Expeditions
Care for the natural world begins with a connection to it.
Origin Expeditions is a registered 501(c)(3) wilderness education and research nonprofit based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. We founded this organization upon the knowledge that being outside is congruent with human design and beneficial to an individual's health and relationships. The natural world possesses an incredible power that fosters wellness, community, and care for our planet. With that, increasing access to the outdoors for demographics with little exposure is a step in our goal of cultivating values of sustainability, personal growth, and community in the Great Lakes region.
We facilitate our mission by hosting backcountry skills classes and expeditions in Michigan that immerse groups (both adults and teenagers) in the wilderness for two days or more. While anyone can attend our trips, we provide scholarships for our teen programs to keep them accessible for all demographics and foster an understanding among different cultures. Our trips are led by professionally certified and highly experienced guides to ensure the safest, most educational, and enjoyable experience possible.
The wilderness is an ideal setting for social and emotional learning. Experiencing a magnificent sunset, an elk bugle, or mountain top view with a friend reminds one of the interdependence of all life and inspires us to appreciate our neighbor. All the while, nature treats all living things equally and can be unforgiving. Surviving a storm, navigating terrain, and building a camp demands teamwork and tolerance for adversity. The pure nature of the wilderness calls for each individual to bring their best self and work with their community to survive. These learning outcomes are not limited to experiences in the backcountry and apply to life back home.
THE ISSUES WE SEEK TO ADDRESS
Studies show that people who spend more time in nature have reduced cortisol levels and lower risk of developing depression, obesity, cancer, and A.D.H.D. These individuals experience less stress and are less susceptible to drug and alcohol abuse and health issues that are likely to worsen over time. Research also shows that they experience boosted vitality, mood, focus, and self-esteem. Additionally, the research conducted on our trips suggests that experiences provided by our expeditions motivate people to live healthier, more sustainable lifestyles.
Roughly 80% of the American population lives in urban areas and has limited access to green space. More than half of the American adult population spends less than 5 hours outdoors each week. On average, an American child spends roughly 4-7 minutes a day in unstructured play outdoors and an average of 7½ hours on electronics each day. As our population becomes increasingly removed from the natural world, many people will fail to procure the benefits of nature while becoming more susceptible to detrimental impacts. At Origin, we believe that by teaching and inspiring people to recreate outside, we can tackle many issues faced by modern Americans.
“Imagine a therapy that has no known side effects, was readily available, and could improve your cognitive functioning at zero cost.” - (Berman, Jonides, & Kaplan, University of Michigan 2008)
“This program taught me that I could step out of my comfort zone and still have fun!”
— Alayna, 2020 2-day Intro to Backpacking Student