CITY KIDS WILDERNESS PROJECT NAMED FINALIST FOR THE 2025 DEFENDER SERVICE AWARDS, PRESENTED BY CHASE

Defender proudly announces 25 finalists across five categories for the 2025 Defender Service Awards, presented by CHASE
As presenting partner, CHASE is awarding $5,000 to each of this year’s finalists to aid the impactful work of these nonprofit and charitable organizations
City Kids Wilderness Project of Washington, DC has been selected as a finalist in the Outdoor Accessibility & Education Category
Winners of the Defender Service Awards will be determined by public vote, open from October 3-19, 2025, with six category winners to receive a new Defender 130 vehicle and $30,000 thanks to the generosity of sponsors
Award sponsors including Presenting Partner Chase, Premier Partner Artemis, and Category Sponsors ei3, Disney, Hearts & Science, Pelican, Outside Inc and S&P Global
Winners will be announced at Destination Defender on November 15, 2025 in Temecula, California

Washington, DC – September 22, 2025: City Kids Wilderness Project was announced as a finalist in the Outdoor Accessibility & Education category fifth annual Defender Service Award presented by CHASE.

DEFENDER, the original British adventure brand, is recognized across the globe for inspiring humanitarian action, conservation and adventure. The Defender Service Awards, Presented by Chase, honors nonprofit and charitable organizations who embody the spirit of Defender and is proud to announce this year’s category finalists. Exemplifying the Defender brand’s ongoing commitment to driving meaningful change through service and humanitarian efforts, these 25 nonprofit and charitable organizations across the US and Canada are making a significant impact to aid and serve those in need.

City Kids Wilderness Project’s mission is to build resiliency, broaden horizons, cultivate community, and develop skills for success in DC youth through a distinctive long-term, cohort-based model that utilizes both wilderness and urban environments to encourage growth. It is the only DC-based, free outdoor experiential program offering routine programming tailored to small cohorts. City Kids has served as a safe space for BIPOC youth to explore outdoor spaces since 1996, creating a community that centers, celebrates, and uplifts their stories, voices, and experiences. Through a seven-year program for 6th-12th grade youth, City Kids provides comprehensive year-round outdoor experiential education including residential summer camp in Jackson Hole, WY, leadership development, and career and college preparation that inspires participants to use their personal power to shape the future of their own lives and create change in the greater community.

Sam Allen, U.S. Brand Director, Defender, said: “As we celebrate five years of the Defender Service Awards, we continue to be inspired by the missions and people of nonprofit and charitable organizations across North America. Their unwavering dedication to service reflects the spirit of the Defender brand and our commitment to supporting those who drive real change in their communities.”

Sarah Cryder, Executive Director, City Kids Wilderness Project, said: “Being named a Defender Service Awards finalist is an incredible honor that shines a light on 29 years of connecting DC youth with transformative wilderness experiences. Like the Defender itself, City Kids is built for adventure and for reaching places that often feel out of reach. Transportation is our greatest barrier to expanding outdoor access for underinvested communities. When youth explore wild places, they discover belonging, connect with nature and others, and unlock their potential as future leaders. This recognition affirms the power of that journey — and the importance of ensuring youth have the chance to take it.”

Category winners will be determined by a public vote, open from October 3-19, 2025. To learn more about The Defender Service Awards, watch the finalists’ videos and cast your vote, please visit https://www.landroverusa.com/experiences/events-and-sponsorships/defender-service-awards/index.html

Each winner will receive a customized Defender 130 vehicle tailored to their needs, along with a $30,000 award to help advance their mission. The purpose-built Defender 130 vehicle will aid the winning organizations with its off-road capability and go-anywhere spirit, including features such as Terrain Response, 8,200 lbs of towing capacity, 89 cubic feet of cargo space, seating for up to 8, wading depth of 35.4 inches and 11.5 inches of ground clearance to traverse the most challenging terrain.

Winners of the 2025 Defender Service Awards will be announced the evening of November 15, during a special evening celebration at Destination Defender. Held at Galway Downs in Temecula California, November 14-16, 2025, Destination Defender is a weekend festival of the Defender lifestyle. Owners and enthusiasts can participate in the Defender Drive Experience, where they will test their off-roading skills on a challenging trail excursion. The weekend also features multiple stages of live music, culinary experiences, wellness activities and more. Camping and glamping options are available for those who prefer sleeping under the stars. To learn more about Destination Defender, please visit: https://www.landroverusa.com/experiences/events-and-sponsorships/destination-defender.html

For information on the Defender Service Awards presented by CHASE, visit https://www.landroverusa.com/experiences/events-and-sponsorships/defender-service-awards/index.html

About Defender

Defender embraces the impossible. Each member of the Defender family is purposefully designed, highly desirable and seriously durable. A modern-day hero that respects the past but at the same time anticipates the future.

Available in 90, 110 and 130 body styles, with up to eight seats, each has a charisma of its own.

The tough luxury Defender OCTA is the master of extreme performance – taking performance and capability to another level on and off-road.

A beacon of liberty that can trace its roots back to the first Land Rover in 1948, Defender is a brand that supports humanitarian and conservation work with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and the Tusk Trust.

The Defender brand is underpinned by Land Rover – a mark of trust built on more than 75 years of expertise in technology and world-leading off-road capability.

Defender vehicles are designed and engineered in the UK and sold in 121 countries. It belongs to the JLR house of brands alongside Range Rover, Discovery and Jaguar.

Further Information

Joe Stauble, PR Manager JLR North America, jstauble@jaguarlandrover.com

Jeff Ehoodin, Land Rover Senior PR Specialist, jehoodin@jaguarlandrover.com

Neha Rauf, City Kids Senior Manager of Development & Communications, neha@citykidsdc.org

Media website: https://media.landrover.com/en-us

Defender Social Channels:

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@defender

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Defender

Twitter: http://twitter.com/Defender

Instagram: http://instagram.com/Defender
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@defender

City Kids Wilderness Project Social Channels:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/citykidsdc