One of the biggest parts of GOPC's mission is making an impact on the incredible communities that support us, living up to our “We Help Others” ethic. As 2025 comes to a close, we'd like to reflect on the tremendous giveback efforts, made possible by our incredible team of dedicated staff, generous vendors, and supportive customers. We're proud to say that we had a huge year of giving back!
We started off the year strong by raising thousands of dollars for MountainTrue through our raffles at F3T and through our WNC Give-Back Tee, which was designed by the Charlotte shop's very own Cheryl Yount! MountainTrue, a relief organization based in the Southern Blue Ridge Mountains that protects forests, water, and local communities, was (and still is!) a key organizer in the recovery and cleanup efforts after Hurricane Helene.
On Land Trust Day, a 30+ year long initiative on the first Saturday of June where a cut of sales are donated to organizations that support inclusion in the outdoors and the preservation of trails and open space, we gave away thousands to land trusts like the Coastal Land Trust, the Piedmont Land Conservancy, and the Piedmont Environmental Council!
After Tropical Storm Chantal, the massive tropical storm that flooded Eastgate with waist-height water and closed our Chapel Hill store for months, we knew we had to do something to help out the countless people that, like us, were impacted by the storm. So, we created the Tar Healing shirt and donated 20% of proceeds to The Orange County, NC General Recovery Fund- over 1,200 dollars!! We also had some phenomenal vendors that helped us get back on our feet after the tropical storm.
When back to school season came around, we ran a back-to-school backpack drive in conjunction with vendors like Patagonia, the North Face, Gregory, Topo Designs, and Cotopaxi. The drive benefited the Friends of Wake GAL, a nonprofit organization that serves abused, neglected, and dependent children in the Wake foster care system by giving them resources that might be traditionally overlooked, like backpacks, computers, dental care, and more. With the help of our vendors, we were able to donate over 160 backpacks to children in need!!
When the weather turns cold, life can be harder for families who struggle with economic security. As a company that outfits people with clothes, shelter, food, and equipment so that they can feel comfortable leaving the comfort and safety of home, we know how important basic needs - things that are often taken for granted - can be. Habitat Day is a reminder that not everyone can afford a comfortable and safe home. In accordance with our vision of "every family in a healthy home, a peaceful neighborhood, in a sustainable, diverse, and tolerant community," we raised thousands of dollars (over $10,000!) for those who need it most. Furthermore, in accordance with our goal to help all families access their necessities, we ran a coat drive during the last week of November and the first week of December. We're happy to say that it went amazingly. We donated over 1,000 jackets to those in need in the local communities around our stores. 75 of these jackets of them came directly from Kuhl, one of the key vendor contributors to our event.
This year, we also had the privilege of working with Gabi's, a packaging company that employs adults with special abilities, to tag our Landseer product and pre-make bows! We also continued to partner with NC State, giving $5000 dollars to the Department of Health and Exercise Studies for the annual "Outdoors for All" awards. This funding will go to NC State students working to address the "adventure gap" and expand access to outdoors activities and education!
Overall, it's been an amazing 2025. We're so thrilled to have been able to help our local communities, and can't wait to have another year of giving in 2026!
