Chill Foundation Honored By U.S. Snowboard Team

Originally posted on SNOWBOARDER | By Josh Sullivan | Last updated May 20, 2026 4:29 PM ET

For decades, Chill Foundation has worked to make board sports more accessible and inclusive for young people who have faced barriers to participation. Now, they’re being recognized for it by U.S. Ski and Snowboarding.

The organization has been named the recipient of the 2026 Inclusion & Opportunity Award from U.S. Ski & Snowboard. The award recognizes a person, group, organization, or program that has contributed significantly and sustainably to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in skiing and snowboarding.

“We are deeply honored to receive the Inclusion & Opportunity Award from U.S. Ski & Snowboard,” said Ben Clark, CEO of Chill Foundation. “At a time when many young people are navigating uncertainty and division, creating spaces where they feel they belong has never been more important. This recognition reflects the collective commitment of our staff, volunteers, partners, and supporters who believe every young person deserves the opportunity to be seen, supported, and included in the boardsports community.”

The nonprofit was founded by Jake and Donna Carpenter of Burton Snowboards fame back in 1995. It has expanded to nine countries since then, and has added snowboarding, skateboarding, surfing, and paddleboard programs.

The organization partners with social service agencies, mental health agencies, foster care programs, juvenile justice programs, and schools in local communities, and is focused on making the outdoors more equitable.

The award was presented to Chill at the annual U.S. Ski & Snowboard Awards Dinner on May 12, 2026, in Park City, Utah.

Chill has expanded in recent years.

Last year, an organization called Taking Back Muskegon partnered with the Chill Foundation to offer free snowboard sessions at a local ski area. Students had the chance to learn to ski, snowboard, and ice skate for free. Meals and rental equipment included.

“Boardsports are more than the sports themselves. They’re a way of life; of seeing the world through a lens of creativity, innovation, healthy risk taking, and agility,” Chill says on its website. “When we ride sideways our perspective changes: we adapt to the obstacles around us; we are challenged physically, mentally, and emotionally; we become stronger, more resilient, and more confident – on and off the board.”

For more information, head over to the Chill website.

This article first appeared on SNOWBOARDER and was syndicated with permission.

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