We are grateful for every donation to the Erin K. Johnson Memorial Fund.

The Fund

The generosity from so many individuals is very much appreciated, and has comforted those grieving Erin’s passing, knowing that this fund allows her spirit and inspiration to continue into the future.

 As an endowed fund, the Erin K. Johnson Memorial Fund will be able to provide, in perpetuity, donations and grants to organizations and individuals aligned with the mission of the Fund: to support getting children outdoors to experience nature, to promote scientific education, and to protect Alaska’s wild places. These were the values Erin cherished.

We continue working to increase the endowment to maximize its annual charitable potential. The Erin K Johnson Memorial Fund has provided summer scholarships to Trailside Discovery Camp, and partial scholarships for needy 4th and 5th graders from Machetanz Elementary's STEM program who couldn't otherwise afford to participate in science trips to Denali National Park and Marine Science Field Trips to Seward. Funds have been provided to support the science education at Eagle River Nature Center and to the Wrangell Institute for Science Education, to the Student Conservation Association-Alaska, supporting their efforts to get high school students and young adult interns working outdoor in Alaska, collecting data for scientists, building trails on public lands, and learning about environmental ethics. The fund has supported protecting wildlands by donating funds to The Conservation Fund- Alaska, and their efforts to purchase significant parcels of land for protection and public use including Kasilof River Flats Important Bird Area, Portage Pass, Snow River area, and the Saddle Trail Access in Kachemak Bay State Park. We have supported Greatland Trust to support their Chugach Pathways Program in an effort to ensure that there is public access to many beautiful places in Chugach State Park.

Erin’s fund also continues to support SKIKU, which provides ski lessons and skis to communities across Northwest Alaska, and Onward and Upward, an organization that provides healthy, positive outdoor opportunities for students and families to develop resiliency through experiential education. Since Chugach State Park was Erin’s backyard, we have also supported Alaska Trails and their successful effort to reroute the Little O’Malley Trail and other worthwhile projects. We have supported successful efforts to get public access for the Stewart Trail through the Friends of Stewart Trail and to build the Muktuk- Marston Trail from Arctic Valley to South Fork of Eagle River. We hope you get to enjoy these trails which provide access to many parts of the park. The fund has also supported the Chugach Park Fund, which is working with Alaska Trails to maintain and upgrade trails in Chugach State Park. Finally, we have donated scholarship money to the Chugiak Eagle River Nordic Ski Club so that they can support kids and their families in learning to ski so that, hopefully, it will become a life-long healthy, recreational activity that gets them outside in nature.

We are so grateful that Erin’s legacy is taking on a life of its own, through community activities and fundraising efforts. Many individuals have shared how inspirational Erin was to them, helping them be comfortable outdoors, and inspiring a passion for nature. In her too brief life she clearly impacted many people, and through her legacy we hope many more lives will be touched.

What We want to acheive