CamelBak®, the global hydration leader with a 25-year history of empowering active outdoor recreation, today announced a $100,000 commitment to support Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell’s initiative to engage and employ the next generation through the outdoors.

The contribution will help Secretary Jewell meet her target of raising $20m from private sector partners to support the 21st Century Conservation Service Corps (21 CSC), and the contribution from CamelBak will directly support non-profit programs that provide work and training experience to young people and veterans on public lands.

Secretary Jewell said, "President Obama believes we have a moral obligation to the next generation to leave our land, water, and wildlife better than we found it, and I applaud Camelbak for being the first of what we hope will be many companies in the outdoor industry to make an investment in the 21CSC.

"This funding will be directed to youth and veterans conservation corps to provide needed support to our public lands, while creating job opportunities for the next generation and instilling in them a love of the great outdoors that will last a lifetime."

The 21 CSC, which is part of the Obama Administration’s America’s Great Outdoors programme, is a bold, national collaborative effort to put 100,000 American youth and veterans to work protecting, restoring and enhancing America’s natural and cultural resources. Through partner organizations, such as the Student Conservation Association, the 21CSC will provide work opportunities on supervised crews or small teams throughout the nation.

Camelbak CEO Sally McCoy said, "This initiative is perfectly aligned with the core values and Got Your Bak spirit exhibited by our 300 employees each and every day.

"We are proud to support 21 CSC and we share the mission of encouraging the next generation of outdoor leaders to be active and passionate stewards of our precious outdoor resources."