Adventure with a Mission: Celebrating the Woman Leading Trek Relief
“I believe every individual has the power to make a difference. That belief started right here in this community.”
As we celebrate International Women’s Month, we are also marking a major milestone: the 10th anniversary of Trek Relief. What began as a vision to help a remote Himalayan village recover from a devastating earthquake has grown into a global movement of adventure-driven service.
A Foundation Built in the Dirt
Candice Young’s trajectory toward global leadership didn’t start in a boardroom—it began in the dirt. Long before she stepped foot in the Himalayas, she was managing service projects for 150 members as the president of the LCHS Key Club, a role she credits as the foundation for her career.
When the 2015 Nepal earthquake struck, Candice didn't just watch from afar. She served as a field coordinator at the epicenter, overseeing the rebuilding of 50 homes while living through daily brownouts and constant aftershocks. It was a clandestine trek into the "closed" Langtang Valley—an area she described as looking like a "nuclear bomb had gone off"—that led to the official founding of Trek Relief in 2016.
Ten Years of Transforming the "Vacation"
Over the last decade, Trek Relief has led 30 adventurous fundraising treks, transforming traditional travel into a vehicle for global service. Today, this unique model empowers travelers to fund projects requested directly by local communities:
Patagonia: Backcountry treks in the Aysen region facilitate permaculture education in schools.
Peru: High-altitude journeys install solar panels for orphanages to fund children's education.
Mongolia: Horseback expeditions support nomadic communities and clean water initiatives.
Nepal: Treks to Everest Base Camp continue to fund sustainable rebuilding and vital medical posts.
The Heart Behind the Mission
Beyond the logistics of global leadership, there is a deeply personal story of resilience and "showing up" when it matters most. Transitioning from a background in biology to a world of international fundraising and community co-creation required a massive perspective shift and a commitment to leading with heart.
How did a nomadic traveler turn a $50,000 fundraising goal into a decade of global impact? What are the "intangible benefits" of choosing a mission over a typical vacation?
To dive deeper into Candice’s personal journey, the "pivotal moments" on the trail, and the full story behind the movement, read her featured interview with VoyageLA.
