Spread the Shred!
From 2017 to present, check out our Social Impact in the community and around the world!
The Global Summit for Social Skateboarding
Johannesburg, South Africa
In October 2019, Shred.Co was blessed with the invitation to attend The Goodpush Summit for Social Skateboarding is Johannesburg, South Africa. The summit was hosted by Skateistan and in attendance were 25 unique skateboarders running social skateboard organizations all around the world!
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At this summit we attended presentations from the Skateistan SA team on the topics of starting and running a social skate program, skate-oriented games, child safety, mental-health and more! We had an amazing time talking with all the participants and hosts about their organizations and how they use skateboarding as a tool for social change. Empowering the youth, girls and womxn alike, all through skateboarding! During this time we built lifelong friendships with a diverse group of passionate, devoted and socially conscious skateboarders... and managed to do some skateboarding together as a group!
Our Goodpush video recap! Filmed and edited by volunteer Wes Van Heest.
Spread the Shred Board Drive
Over the 2019 holiday season, we launched a campaign to collect enough boards and equipment to complete 30 skateboards for our Goodpush friends running 3 different social skateboard projects in 3 different African nations. These organizations work in remote regions of their country where there are no skateboard shops. As such, acquiring equipment is extremely difficult. The skaters there are resourceful and make the most of what they have, often crafting handmade skateboards out of planks of wood and old roller skates.
Thanks to the generous skateboarders and companies across Northern New Jersey, we have collected enough equipment to assemble 60 skateboards!!! The boards have have all been disassembled and packed into boxes with the help of volunteers from Montclair High School Skateclub and are being shipped to Zambia, Angola, Zimbabwe, Mozambique and South Africa!
Therapeutic Skateboarding
The mental, physical and social-emotional benefits of skateboarding
Why Skateboarding?
It's no secret that skateboarding does wonders for the mind, body and soul. This physical activity is great for getting outdoors and away from mind numbing video games. Skateboarding is a creative outlet that allows for personal expression in style, trick selection, and body motion.
Skateboarding improves balance and coordination, while burning calories and strengthening muscle. It also teaches resilience, encouraging riders to get back up and try again after falling down. Skateboarding can alleviate stress, anxiety and depression by clearing the mind and building confidence.
Our Colorado Out Reach Clinics
Each summer, Shred.Co and team travel out to Boulder, Colorado and surrounding townships to put on Therapeutic Skate Clinics! Working side by side with local Therapists, we host multiple learn-to-skate clinics catered to individuals with developmental disabilities, recovering addicts, and those battling homelessness and depression.
Rehabilitation and Recovery
Skateboarding is an activity that requires complete concentration and presence. The high risk, high reward nature makes it the perfect activity for adrenaline junkies and thrill seekers alike. Trial and error makes skateboarding truly addicting as skaters often work hours on end to perfect a trick, battling against the body and testing ones mental stamina. It is landing that trick you've worked so hard that creates a natural high, a feeling personal satisfaction and accomplishment.
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We believe that skateboarding can be an unconventional method to keep recovering addicts having clean sober fun.
Global Outreach
Equipment donations and learn-to-skate clinics overseas
Skate Cuba!
In March 2019, we were authorized for travel to Cuba through the organization Cubaskate. We jammed packed our suitcases with dozens of skateboard parts, shoes and clothes to provide to the skaters of Cuba! Because of Cuba's government, skateboard shops are prohibited in the country so all of the skaters must rely on outside donations for new skateboards, shoes and equipment. Our video recap is currently in the works!
Meet Rick...
This 11 year old Cuban shredder was skating the Plaza de Prado on a janky board with missing screws, mixed sized trucks and 2 different pairs of shoes... During our time in Cuba, Rick met up with us everyday and showed us his genuine love for skateboarding! It was a no brainer for us to hook him up with a fresh complete and some new Vans skate shoes! Keep shredding Rick, we hope to see you again next time!
Skate Nica!
In May 2017, we had the opportunity to represent GLOBE, a student run micro-finance organization, as a Fellow on their trip to Nicaragua. During our time there we visited the cities of Managua, Matagalpa, Granada, and San Juan Del Sur visiting other microfinance institutes, local business, and the GLOBE borrowers. We brought along 4 skateboards with us and donated them to different schools and youth organizations across the country offering some basic skateboard training to go along with them!
Skateboard Donations
Meet Margarita and Marcelo! (pictured right) Margarita is a borrower of GLOBE's micro-loan program. With a loan of only $700 Margarita was able to start a small breakfast restaurant in the city of Managua. Her son Marcelo, age 6, suffers from a learning disability and would often take her attention away from her business. Skate.Now donated a board to Marcelo to keep him occupied and out of his mother's hair. Both were so grateful and smiling ear to ear!
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The boys of rural mountain city, Matagalpa, (pictured above) take a different approach to skating using their board as a toboggan to bomb the city's dirt hills. Not too shabby for kids who've never seen a skateboard before!
Community Impact
Freedom NJ x Boards for Bros
For the 2018/19 and 2019/20 winter seasons, Shred.Co partnered with non-profit orgs Freedom NJ and Boards for Bros to host skateboard instructional clinics and board donations for disadvantaged youth in Trenton.
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Shred.Co is also a financial sponsor of Freedom NJ, who run an indoor skatepark in Trenton, NJ. You check out more of their work at www.freedomnj.org
Big Brother Big Sister Team Building Clinic
In February 2017 and 2020, Simple Creations teamed up with Shred.Co in Parsippany, NJ to offer skateboard building workshops and instructional demonstration for disadvantaged youth.
There were a total of 12 children accompanied by a team of adults who assisted them in the decorating and constructing their first skateboards. Shred.Co then offered the children a brief tutorial on the first steps to skateboarding followed by a demo. Their smiles lit up the room as the kids learned how to push, ride and one of our personal favorites, the mushroom jump!
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We hold this experience dear to our hearts as it was one our first social impact projects, an experience that altered our perception on skateboarding. It was this clinic that made us realize first had how skateboarding isn't just pushing a piece of wood, it's healing power is truly magical and we are thankful to be included in such a positive event.
Foster Care Demo
One Simple Wish, a support center for foster children in Trenton NJ, was interested in putting on a "skateboard show" for some of their residents.
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Our demonstration took place in the alley behind the support center. It was some of the roughest ground we've skated on so even basic tricks became difficult, but the challenge made it more fun. The kids were so hyped on our skateboarding, cheering us on as we landed tricks, and encouraging us to go bigger!
After the demo we had some of the kids to try out our boards, teaching them the basics on how to ride. Some of the braver ones even attempted the 'mushroom jump'. The kids treated us like celebrities, hanging on us and asking us for pictures.
