A group of people sits at picnic tables on sunny, grassy hill, under a towering oak tree with bright autumn leaves.

More People Outside. More Often. More Ways. More Reasons. More Places. More.

That's SUM.

Hello, Josh!

Thank you for being part of SUM's first three years of restorative experiences outside!

Our goal and our formula for change are the same: everyone + outside. Everyone is a big idea, and outside is a big place. We can't do it alone. Whether you've been outside with SUM, supported our work and growth financially or been a trusted advisor, we're closing in on 2,000 people outside in those three short years, and that would not be possible without this growing community. Again, thank you.

As we launch this newsletter to help spread the word about our work, our core philosophy and the amazing places we go, you can look for perspectives on the benefits and challenges of spending more time outside, stories of how (and why, and where) other people and organizations have spent time outside with SUM, and opportunities for you to join us.

Two of those opportunities are coming up soon, and we hope to see you there!

How can you help as we grow? Forward this newsletter. Was it forwarded to you? Sign up for our mailing list here. Share an event page. Make an introduction - they're absolute gold. And your financial support now will directly support SUM's upcoming summer programming for youth and community organizations.

On behalf of the Board, our team, and our growing community of Outsiders, thank you. Read on and come join us outside. You belong out here!

Josh Ellis, Executive Director

josh@sum.fun

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A group of people from PODER's team sit in colorful chairs along Chicago's Riverwalk

A young man sits on a horse and flashes a big smile and thumbs up to the camera.

PODER and SUM: What partnership looks like outside

PODER provides critical services to the Chicago region's growing immigrant community. It's rewarding work, but hard - taking a breath and having opportunities for team reflection are essential. Since Fall 2022, PODER has had 9 staff experiences outside with SUM, ranging from staff retreats (source of that iconic fall foliage photo above) to shorter team culture sessions, wellness outings, and more.

SUM is proud to lead these for PODER, but it's the many community experiences we've led with PODER that we get really excited about. Together we've taken hundreds of people hiking, kayaking, camping and horseback riding. By combining SUM's outside acumen and PODER's trusted relationships, we're helping folks explore the region in a whole new way.

SUM Perspectives: Griselda Piedra, PODER Member Experience Coordinator

Griselda Piedra and another woman roast marshmallows over a campfire.

Between PODER staff and community experiences outside, Griselda Piedra has been outside with SUM more than anyone else. She shared her take in a recent conversation with SUM's Executive Director, Josh Ellis.

Josh: You've talked in the past about how good you feel during and after experiences outside with SUM. What are five words that describe how you feel?

Griselda: Free. Energized. Connected. Grounded. Inspired.

Josh: You've been on several team sessions with SUM, from the woods to the Riverwalk and beyond. What's the immediate and lasting impact of those sessions?

Griselda: Immediately it’s a vibe shift — walls come down; joy goes up. Long-term, it strengthens trust, improves communication, and reminds us that creativity thrives when we step outside the usual. Core memory building with my team.

Josh: Several PODER community experiences outside with SUM are the largest we've ever run. 75 people on horseback. 50 folks hiking at the Dunes. 140 people learning to kayak! What's going on here? What are we tapping into?

Griselda: We’re tapping into joy, curiosity, and a deep desire for belonging. SUM helps unlock the part of us that remembers we deserve nature, movement, and connection — no matter our background or story. But it goes even deeper: we’re also tapping into people’s memories and lived experiences from their home countries — moments they thought they had left behind or could never recreate. These outings become bridges between past and present, offering space to share those stories while creating new ones with their families here in the U.S.

Josh: What's been your favorite SUM experience to date?

Griselda: It’s hard to choose! Horseback riding with 75 community members was unforgettable — watching fear turn into pride and laughter truly felt like healing in motion. But our fall 2025 PODER team outing might take the top spot. Taking the water taxi and walking the Riverwalk sparked some of the most meaningful conversations we've had as a team. The way the experience opened space to share challenges, align our strengths, and find ways to better support one another — that kind of connection is powerful.

Josh: Last question, any Chicago region bucket list goals outside SUM should be looking into?

Griselda: Moonlight paddle on the Chicago River; a winter bonfire + storytelling night; a trip down to Starved Rock with bilingual guides... and maybe an Amazing Race adventure or scavenger hunt!

Josh: Awesome. Good thing we're just getting started!

Learn more about the amazing work of PODER here.

Griselda Piedra turns and smiles while kayaking on a river in fall

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Let's get outside!

School's Out! Come kayaking!

Join us June 13 for a family-friendly paddle on the Des Plaines River. Spaces are limited, so sign up now!

2025 SUMmer FUNdraiser!

Our 2nd Annual SUMmer FUNdraiser is set for Saturday, September 13, 1pm-5pm, at Thatcher Woods Pavilion in River Forest, IL.

Tickets on sale now!

A large yellow sculpture of long lines and tubes in no particular shape sits on a grassy lawn in the sun. It is much larger than the people looking at it.

Need a Great Day Outside?

Walk through spring flowers at Thorn Creek Woods.

Then stroll the grounds at Nathan Manilow Sculpture Park.

Then hit downtown Crete for restaurants, coffee houses and breweries.

Food for Thought: Are our public spaces designed for the "go outside for your mental health" movement?

Kelsey Zlevor stands among a group of people outside in winter

In recent years there have been many studies and articles centered on the notion of going outside for mental health, and at SUM, we believe strongly in this premise... so long as the experience is designed to be safe, welcoming and inclusive. That's what we strive for. But place matters too. For Mental Health Awareness Month, SUM asked Kelsey Zlevor, MCRP, a member of our 2025 Winter Wellness Cohort and the author of the forthcoming Mental Landscapes, to share her perspective on how place and design matter.

"Many of us recognize the value of parks and public spaces in supporting mental wellbeing. However, how do parks and public spaces feel to people going through a depressive episode?

As our economy, politics, and environment become increasingly unstable, rates of depression are on the rise. This matters in part because depression can cause symptoms that trigger different perceptions of stimuli compared to non-depressed individuals.

In my work interviewing park users across the U.S. and Canada with a history of depression (including PTSD, Bipolar, post-partum, and ADHD), I’ve found that the design of parks and public spaces requires a paradigm shift from simply relying on the provision of these spaces to prevent depression, to addressing the inevitably of the condition: creating and reimagining spaces that comfort, support, and accompany people through mental health experiences over the course of their lives.

To do this, we can focus on four design elements: ease, observation, affinity, and awe.

Ease refers to a sense of peace and comfort; ways in which spaces can reduce anxiety, rumination, fear, or panic.
Observation refers to an ability to feel a part of a space without needing to actively contribute to its rhythms; ways in which spaces can reduce paranoia, social withdrawal, and lethargy.
Affinity refers to the relationship between humans and the natural world; ways in which spaces can reduce despair, isolation, and rumination.
Awe refers to a sense of expansion and appreciation of mystery; ways in which spaces can reduce withdrawal.

Using this framework we can create a vision of mental health care as a community responsibility, where parks, preserves and other public commons are intentionally designed to reconnect us with our bodies, other people, and the natural world even on our hardest days."

Kelsey Zlevor, MCRP

Support SUM's Work Now

1322 S. Wabash Ave. #402,

Chicago, IL 60605

(773) 910-7552