California, South Carolina, Texas

star initiative

On a mission to promote the sport of hunting and angling within the minority-American community

New mission for 2024

The mission of the Star Initiative is to promote the sport of hunting and angling within the minority-American community and to increase representation of minorities in the outdoors by providing high-quality outdoor therapy opportunities to veterans, active-duty personnel, and the families of minority decent.​

This mission intends to close the racial gap between American communities and to encourage minorities to participate in outdoor opportunities while promoting conservation efforts throughout the United States.

star initiative

The Problem

Whether you see a hunter sitting in a treestand, crouching in a duck blind, or bugling bulls on a mountainside, you can predict something with 91% certainty: You’re looking at a white guy of European stock.  

  1. From 2010 to 2014, the USDA Forest Service reported Whites made up 95% of all visits to national parks.  Likewise, a 2019 National Park Service study found that Whites made up nearly 80% of visits to NPS parks and monuments. 

  2. In 2016, 11.5 million Americans hunted at least once.  Of those hunters, 96% were White, 3% were Hispanic, and Blacks and Asians made up most of the remaining 1%. 

  3. A 2017 report by the Coleman Co. on camping participation found Whites accounted for nearly 80% of campers. 

  4. In 2018, a study by the Outdoor Foundation found that Whites accounted for nearly 75% of all national outdoor recreation.  

mend the heart foundation

Upcoming Events

EVENTS COMING SOON

CY23 PARTNERS/SPONSORS

Through family members, friends, and support volunteers, Mend the Heart Foundation has quietly grown into an organization solidifying those traditional American values that all members of society can appreciate.

On behalf of those we help, thank you for supporting Mend the Heart Foundation with your advocacy, your finances, and your words of encouragement; truly, our heroes appreciate your nurturing participation.

"

“When I first arrived in Recruiting Station Cleveland there was nothing significant we could offer Marines as a unique reward for their demanding duty. Along came Lazy Lab Hunting Club who identified the sacrifices Marines and their families make by finding the next generation of warfighters among the streets of Cleveland and Detroit. Through multiple chartered fishing trips and hunting expeditions, they have given the Marines an escape and experience to feel appreciated and valued. Our Marines have thoroughly enjoyed every second and are extremely thankful for the support from the foundation. We look forward to years of partnership with Lazy Lab Hunting Club and can’t thank them enough for their support.”

s/f,

Major Hubert, Brian D.
Commanding Officer
Recruiting Station Cleveland – United States Marine Corps

– 05 November, 2021