High Fives Nonprofit Foundation

High Fives not only continues athletes dreams after life altering accidents but they continue to do so much for our small town of Truckee, CA. Love them love what they do!

I've been involved with High Fives for a very long time. Thankfully, not as a grant recipient, but as a sponsor, friend of recipients and avid skier. High Fives stresses positivity in every interaction. Their dedication to helping people regain their sense of self is unmatched. The good they have done in the world will leave longlasting impressions on everyone they touch.

High Fives Foundation has given injured athletes the opportunity to get back into the sports they love.Though it may be in a different capacity, the joy it brings is incredible and amazing to watch. Roy and all the people involved have such a passion and commitment to this mission. Thank you for helping to make dreams a realty.

I suffered a traumatic brain injury while snowboarding. High Fives has been helping me with my ongoing journey to live my life as independently as I can. They were so instrumental in supporting my rehab so I can walk short distances on my own and get around just using one cane. They purchased an all season all terrain wheelchair so I can enjoy the outdoors all year round. High Fives has given me the tools to look at life in such a positive way. Love you High Fives.

I have watched as High Fives has grown from an idea into a reality. The first hand experience of the founders allow them to truly understand an athletes needs emotionally, physically, mentally and financially. I wish there had been something like this around when I first became a member of the disabled community.

High fives is one of the most exciting and committed non profits out there. They really raise awareness for athletes with disabilities and do it in an engaging fun way. Rock on

High Fives has supported our family, emotionally and financially, through every part of our journey adjusting to our son's ski accident in 2015 which left him paralyzed. Their support and presence along the way has made a positive and lasting difference in our lives.

High Fives is the net that helps athletes when they fall...and then helps them back up and into life!

I first came to know about The High Fives Foundation through an invitation to a mono-ski race camp at SugarBush in Vermont. I had a great experience during this camp, with lots of motivating and knowledgeable people. After this camp, I reached out to High Fives for a grant to get a mono-ski bucket insert. I received a grant and am now able to get this seat that I have wanted for a long time. This will enable me to better my skiing and spend more time on the mountain without worry of further medical issues! Thanks High Fives!

High fives foundation gives injured athletes something to look forward to in a future that can be uncertain. They help athletes with their recovery, therapy, and adaptive equipment. High fives help athletes to believe in themselves and to more importantly challenge themselves to greatness.
I am so incredibly proud of all the work high fives has done and can't wait to see what comes next!

High Fives does amazing things and brings a great positive energy to all that they do!

I am literally sitting in my living room crying after reading that I got approved for an Empowerment Grant from High Fives Fdn. Words can barely describe how stoked I am to return to the sport of skiing that I loved so dearly before my spinal cord injury with the help of HFF Grant to cover the cost of my adaptive ski equipment and lessons. The last sixteen months since my accident have been filled with highs and lows, but any day on a ski hill is a good day, and I can't wait to get out there and become a #HighFivesAthlete! THANK YOU!!!!

Everything they do is always positive and hopeful. Just stopping in for a quick visit you are always greeted with a smile from everyone in the building. From the staff, trainers and recovering athletes everyone is an agent of positivity. Having a family member who had a lifelong disability and worked hard their entire life to not allow it to ever bring them down, would be proud of what the High Fives Foundation stands for.

Had no idea who these fine folks were before my son's accident. They reached out while we were still in the ICU and have been beyond exceptional in his recovery ever since. From providing gear to a true friendship with him. Can not say enough good things about High Fives and the crew. High Five!

The High Fives Foundation is truly doing something special for athletes. Helping those that have suffered life altering injuries get back to becoming an athlete and maybe proving doctors wrong with levels of training and recovery. I have seen first hand the stoke and hope return to those that have been helped by High Fives. With growth comes more hope for continuous stoke for those newly injured as well as providing help to improving the lives of those that truly need lifelong support by an extended family, HighFives.

I have been volunteering for High Fives for over a year now. It is truly amazing to see the direct impact they have on our community here in Tahoe, and also across the nation. Be able to help our and getting to see first hand the stories of High Fives athletes has been life changing for myself. So glad to know that High Fives is there for the mountain action sports community.

I had a ski accident that left me a C6 quadriplegic on April 5th, 2015. The Highfives Foundation has provided nonstop mental, physical, & financial support every step of the way. We are incredibly fortunate to have such an amazing foundation backing us!

I have had a working relationship with Roy Tuscany since his injury in 2006 and been fortunate enough to work with a large amount of athletes that have come through the program since 2009. But on Wednesday July 6, 2016, I had an experience that brought so much reward to all that I have been able to do with and for the High Fives Foundation. At the end of Jason Abraham's* session, he told me that he wanted to try something and not help him up as I usually do. I lowered the table and staged his chair in the usual place. Then he began new movements that I haven't seen him do. Next thing I know he was getting himself up on his elbows, then on his hands and then he sat himself all the way up, moved his legs off the table and transferred to his chair all without my help. That right there was one of the biggest rewards for doing what I do.

Thank you Jason and the High Fives Foundation for making my heart smile.

-Karen Stubbs LMT

*For Jason Abraham's story follow this link (https://highfivesfoundation.org/jason-abraham/)

This is an amazing group of people! I've been working with them for about a year now and it is great to see how many people they have helped and what a difference it makes. I look forward to working with them as much as possible in the future. High Five!

Best way to explain this foundation is, STOKE FACTORY!

My life and my families life has been positively transformed by the HIGHfivesFoundation's healing network. Through grants, camps and the CR Johnson healing centre I have been exposed to the right people and the right time, to make my recovery from spinal cord injury and HUGE success. I am eternally grateful for the work these amazing people do.

Hi Fives has been a wonderful resource for my daughter Sally Francklyn, who was badly injured in a ski accident. They run a lean and mean operation with minimal staff, they don't use telemarketers, they don't aggressively solicit their donors. They have not only supported Sally with grants for needed services, but they have been invested in her personal success toward recovery, and, as injury survivors themselves, they have provided a personal and meaningful touch throughout her recovery.

I looked them up on a charity website and their form 990 is very clean. Salaries are low and fundraising percentages are low.

If you want to support a foundation that really helps spine and brain injured athletes, these are the guys!

Our son, Barclay, was seriously injured in a ski accident February 2015. He broke his neck and back. He is paralyzed from the mid-chest down. Before his accident Barclay built a weight room in our basement that was an important space for him. A space all his own. During his rehab at Craig Hospital his team of therapist heard about this space and told us that getting Barclay back into this space was important. Our house has three floors and is built on a hill. Access to the basement over the grass in his wheelchair is extremely difficult. Friends of ours suggested that we contact the High Fives Foundation for help. We reached out to them, told them our situation and asked for help with a lift to get Barclay from the deck down to the basement. Immediately Steve and Roy gave us direction. We followed that direction and in April got a phone call saying that the foundation's board had approved our application for a grant to help fund Barclay's lift along with help with massage and acupuncture therapy. This could not have happened without their help. This was only the first step. High Fives has taken a vested interest in Barclay's progress along with the progress of all their athletes. The High Fives team knows from personal experiences what their athletes have and are going through. They want to help anyway they can. We are fortunate to have High Fives part of Barclay's future.

Top notch organization. Amazing team at High Fives! Incredible people making a major impact on the recovery of injured athletes.

High Fives has supported my recovery through helping me re engage my passions for outdoor recreation. As a two time SCI survivor H5's has enabled me to raise my expectations toward recovery both physically and mentally. Skiing, surfing, biking, whatever your goal, they help you achieve. I have made lifelong friends who share their stoke for others to recover. I owe them so much. To some up High Fives in 3 words. Love, positivity, and stoke.
Mark Flounlacker High Fives Winter Empowerment Athlete

5 years ago I broke my c-2 vertebrae skiing in the Lake Tahoe backcountry. After coming out of the hospital, I was overwhelmed with hospital bills, and pretty much life itself. I was unsure what to do and how to go about my recovery. High Fives reached out to me and told me get in touch with them. High Fives was crucial in my recovery, not only were they awesome just to talk to and lend an ear, but they found me a PT and covered my therapy which I believe helped me get back on skis and doing what I love to do. High Fives goes above and beyond. I honestly can't say enough, and still feel extremely grateful.

High Fives means so much to me. after my spinal cord injury in 2010 they showed me how truly awesome life is and half stopped supported me for even a second. They are my great asset and my absolute best friends.

High fives is an amazing organization. For most people who have gone through a traumatic life altering injury, the road to recovery can be a very arduous and lonely one. Roy Tuscany and Steve Wallace understand that from first hand experience. High fives empowers people in more ways than one. They've built a support community which puts people that have just sustained an injury or that are in the recovery process after an injury, in touch with with one another which nowadays can make the difference between saving a life or letting someone die from disparity. They also empower people by providing grants to help them Regain a quality of life that they were used to prior to their accident. Recovery is not cheap but how can you put a price on a life? Well, you can't, but High Fives has figured out how to help ease the pain both financially and emotionally that comes with a life altering injury. Everyday they give people a new lease on life.

What not to say. I went from 11 surgeries, a deadly infection, 15 blood transfusions and 7 months in bed recovering before my bk amputation to living the life I love once again. That was just two short years ago. Now I'm out doing nearly everything in life I used to! I just completed my first Spartan Trifecta at Squaw Valley with the help of High Fives. They've supported me throughout my entire ordeal. From critically important massage and constant rehab, to three new prosthesis, High Fives has been there when no one else was. I can't say enough positive things about this wonderful, small group of people. They are changing lives everyday!

High Fives Non-Profit Foundation is awesome, and has helped me after my life altering injury to return to a sport that I am able to play. They are a great support system of encouragement and an example of how positive mindset is the way of life!! I would not be where I am today without all the High Fives I've received. Way to go!!

On January 8, 2015 I experienced a life-altering spinal cord injury while skiing at my home mountain of Alpine Meadows in Lake Tahoe, CA. The crash resulted in a burst fracture of my L1 vertebrae, a dislocated shoulder and broken rib which left me paralyzed from the waist down.

While recovering from 2 back surgeries at Renown Medical Center in Reno, NV, Roy Tuscany, Founder and CEO of the High Fives Foundation walked into my hospital room to introduce himself and his Foundation to me and my wife, Heather. During that initial visit I became a High Fives Athlete, and our world changed forever.

Translation = High Fives stepped in and offered much needed advice (encouraging us to get me into Craig Hospital); emotional support (introducing us to the High Fives family of current and previous SCI (Spinal Cord Injury) families and financial support...through High Fives grants, they paid for my medical transportation from the Reno hospital to Craig hospital in Denver, CO. Through additional grants, I received massage and acupuncture treatments, and upon my return home to Lake Tahoe, I am receiving PT and therapy sessions at the CR Johnson Healing Center (part of High Five) 6 times a week. ALL of this has been made possible through High Fives. It's been incredible.

While my injury was certainly life-altering - our experience with the High Fives Foundation has been life-enlightening...they truly have gotten me back on my feet and put me in a position to work towards a FULL RECOVERY! We are forever grateful and eternally thankful.

Giving to this Charity is so easy, as they showcase the ways they support athletes in the action sports community through recovery and injury prevention. Give these guys a HIGH FIVE!

With the help of High Fives, 89 injured athletes have received funding for their recoveries. Their funding goes to rehab, massage therapy, acupuncture, home renovations or adaptive equipment. The most amazing part is the community that has been created by founder, Roy Tuscany.

I was injured in a skiing accident April 19, 2014. I fractured C4-C6 becoming a C6 quadriplegic. I also also fractured the transverse process of T8-T10 and dislocated and fractured my right hip. High Fives helped me get in to Craig Hospital where I made huge progress. High Fives has changed my life and the staff has been an amazing support system! I'm excited to see what the future holds and I wouldn't be where I am today without their support!

My name is Jasmin Bambur. In 2000, I was driving home after Team Handball practice and I crashed my car. I sustained several injuries including a broken back at T9, which resulted in paralysis of my lower extremities.

Today, I am an US Paralympic alpine ski racer. I have been racing for six years. For the last three years, High Fives foundation helped me pay for some major expenses during winter months. Thanks to their support, I am able to apply myself 100% on racing and not too worried about paying bills. I am currently ranked 8th in world in Super G and my goal is to be #1. All the people working at High Fives are super easy to work with. I am so fortunate to have such great organization like High Fives helping me live my life to the fullest and compete with the best in the world.

in 2004 I broke my back, leaving my paralyzed from the waist down. it was a few years afterwards when the high 5's came into my world and gave me the boost i needed to continue exploring a life of adventure and sport. they have given me the resources to be the best skier i can be, which is my true passion. they have also exposed me to other sports such as surfing and wake boarding. most importantly they have connected me with a variety of other people in similar situations, allowing us to share stories and experiences, moving forward in life.

i'm really impressed with how Roy, Steve and Adam have lead by example, in life and actions. Living a life of adventure and service, as well simply being all round great people.

In June of 2011, I broke my back and many other things in a rock climbing accident. I was in the hospital for three and a half months and had six surgeries. I am now paralyzed below the chest and a wheelchair user. I am a recipient of a grant from the High Fives Foundation for a season pass of skiing, personal training, and a trip to a ski camp in Colorado. The High Fives Foundation has contributed a huge amount to my recovery. A major source of my joy and connection comes from adaptive sports, specifically mono skiing, and High Fives has allowed me to take part in that fully. Adaptive sports equipment and lessons are expensive, especially on a fixed income, and it is important that these organizations exist to fill that gap. I am proud to be a High Fives Athlete, and have been nothing but impressed by every interaction I have had with them.

One morning while skiing in California, I broke my leg so badly I required an amputation below the knee. An old ski friend turned me on to the High Fives Foundation while I was immobile in bed. I've gone from almost nothing physically, to a strong, happy, functioning person again. My recovery has been tough, so tough in fact that I had given up all hope, and at my lowest point High Fives come along, picked me up and put me back on my two feet. They helped buy the prosthesis I now walk on, as well as pay for intense physical therapy, enabling me to walk and ride my mountain bike again. From where I was before High Fives to this very moment I can't tell you how far I've come. High Fives and a good surgical and rehabilitation team and you can do anything! Skiing and running are next for me. I'm not there yet, but I know the day will come when I'm skiing again and I can quietly tell myself I've made a full recovery. My name is Patrick Lonsdale and I'm High Fives Athelete #52.

High Five is simply an amazing foundation. I was given a grant that i was able to purchase my skibike with. My life is much more fulfilled riding my skibike and working on skibike advocacy for adaptive use. I can't describe enough how much High Fives helped me achieve my goals.

High Fives is an amazing organization. They give so much to those who have been injured in life altering accidents. I am proud to call these guys my friends and love spending my time volunteering for them.

I'm always happy to speak with someone from High Fives that takes time to answer my questions and do the best that he can to help me in a positive way to pursuit my dream.

I lost a ski my first turn after dropping in at the light towers at Squaw Valley. I tumbled down the cliffs and slid to the bottom. I broke c3 and c4 in my neck, broke the head of my humerus off, ripped my rotator cuff off, and had a traumatic brain injury. I was airlifted to Reno and woke up three days later. At the time I was completely lost. I had a few friends mention that I should contact Hi Fives for help. I contacted Roy Tuscany at Hi Fives and help was what I got. Roy welcomed me like family and told me that he wanted to ski with me when my rehab was finished. It meant a lot to me in a hard time. Hi Fives helped me with my physical therapy, massage, and acupuncture. Kaila Cruttendon, the acupuncturist and Karen Stubbs, the massage therapist were instrumental in relieving pain and opening pathways that were blocked by injury and stress. Not to mention they are both great listeners, which I really needed. Rich Bozzio,my physical therapist got me my motion back and taught me the exercises to get strong again. He great at his job. I don't know what I would have done without the support system provided by this foundation. I have made a full recovery! Thank you Hi Fives. Steve Kaagan

I compressed L1,L2,L3,L4,T11and burst T12 vertebras in 2012 filming Alpine Assassins snowmobile movie in the back co of Wy. I was in the darkest time of my life when Roy Tuscany called me to invite me to be a High Fives winter empowerment athlete. Not only did High Fives help me financially but to have the support of other athletes and people that had gone through the same things I was going through was amazing. What High Fives did for me mentally was beyond any words I can think of. With there positivity and support I knew I was going to overcome this and get back to what I so loved. Thanks High Fives for being who you are, doing what you do, and for spreading the stoke you spread.

I Love You all,

Randy Sugihara
High Fives Athlete

I broke my back snowboarding Feb. 26, 2013 @ Sierra Tahoe Resort going off a jump. I fell 25ft. On my back an broke 3 of my vertebrae.I am a T9-10 incomplete an now in a chair. I soon heard of High Fives Foundation. I have heard nothing but great things about this foundation. Great people an great vibes! They helped me get the rest of the money I needed for my WCMX wheelchair. Now I'm just waiting for it to be built an I can shred again! Thanks HighFives. You guys are awesome.

After breaking my back when I was 13 in a 4 wheeler accident I wasn't sure where to go with my life. But after i was introduced to the highfives foundation. They supplied everything it took to help me move forward not only with my life but my career and helped to make a huge difference. Their positive attitude and kind willingness to help made the biggest difference. Not only was it the support from them that helped. But their authentic caring for what they do and making the difference in others lives. I know they've made a difference in more lives than just Mine.

Hi, I've been donating and volunteering to High Fives since its inception. The foundation is an amazing community of people that come together to support, celebrate, and provide aid to those winter athletes in need. They have really contributed to making Tahoe and even the winter community abroad that much stronger.

Cheers

I started working with High FIves this summer. I have never been surrounded by so many great people, i leave everyday with a smile on my face, a full heart and a great story to call home and tell my dad. Every day that I come into work I am truly inspired by the stories I hear and the people I get to know. A goal of mine has always been to carefully celebrate every day of life and the High FIves Foundation has helped me honor that by making the most awesome work environment! I am so incredibly stoked that I have been able to be a part of such a great community, and will continue to be for the rest of my life. I hope that everyone is as inspired as I am by the High Fives Foundations mission. Can't wait to work more with High Fives in the future! Keep rockin' guys, you're awesome!

The High Fives Foundation is an incredible organization that really sets themselves apart from other non-profits in their approach to fundraising, athlete support and most of all the BASICS education and outreach programs. The team is dedicated to making a difference and making sure everyone is having fun the process! Be sure to check out one of their many events (Bocce Tournament, Skinny-Ski-A-thon, Golf Tournament), #KNOWYOURPARK program or follow them on facebook or instagram, etc to see for yourself! I became a board member in 2014 and am honored and excited to support the High Fives Foundation.

I have know High 5's since it was just an idea amongst friends in a note book. To see where this organization is today is nothing short of astounding! They have taken so many negatives and turned them into positives. They make a positive impact everywhere they go and continue to take great steps forward everyday.

I have seen the High Fives Foundation operate both as a recipient as well as an employee, and I am truly honored to be a part such an amazing organization. Following my spinal cord injury in 2008 the High Fives Foundation took me skiing again, and it was an amazing experience to regain that sense of normalcy. Now, as an employee of the organization I am able to really make an impact in people's lives and it is tremendously gratifying. High Fives does amazing things for people, and I am honored to be a part of the Family.

My name is Grant Korgan and I am extending my highest endorsement for the High Fives non-profit foundation. For the past 3 years, the High Fives foundation has empowered, inspired, and financially assisted my journey back from a paralyzing snow sports injury to the freedom and bliss that is simply walking with the assistance of two canes. I have known the High Fives foundation, its management, its board, and many of the High Fives athletes in a variety of capacities over the years. Simply put, the High Fives foundation has both demonstrated and achieved a positive shift not only in the post injury / post heath insurance support network for newly injured winter sports athletes, but they have also unified an otherwise segmented and compartmentalized nation-wide winter sport community to not only band together in an effective effort to positivity impact the lives of the newly injured, but also educate and re-map the social trends of safety practices in the name of injury prevention industry-wide!

Speaking to my background, I am an author, a speaker, and an athlete. It is my passion to continue giving the world my message of "Possibility Through Positivity" via books, professional keynote speaking, and documentary / TV media. I believe, regardless of ability (or perceived disability), we can all come to the awareness that the enduring human spirit within us all can achieve every single thought, desire, and milestone we choose in this life! On March 5th 2010, I overshot a jump while filming a snowmobile movie in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, landed too hard, and sustained a spinal cord injury. Beginning with no movement or feeling below my bellybutton, my wife Shawna and I were determined not to change a single goal of the past. With the ever-present help of the High Fives foundation, we embarked on an unconventional, activity-based recovery plan, which bucked the prognosis that my long-cherished independence was a thing of the past. Less than three years after my injury, I am honored to say I've released my first book (Two Feet Back), I can now feel and move all the way down to my knees, I am walking in a set of canes, and I was given the gratitude-filled opportunity to become the first spinal cord injured athlete in history to ski ~80 miles (the final degree of latitude) to Antarctica's Geographic South Pole!!! This universal story of choosing positivity through adversity has little to do with a spinal cord injury. In truth, my story is one that applies to us all, because we are all survivors of something.

I have worked with a variety of charity organizations over the years, and the High Fives foundation is the single highest "one-on-one" impacting non-profit per dollar raised I have experienced. From achieving weekly Miracles in their athlete recovery efforts, to uniting a diverse population of contributors toward their noble cause, to educating kids and adults alike in winter sports relevant and life saving fields such as avalanche awareness and helmet usage, to one-on-one injury recovery mentorship / modality recommendation / empowering financial assistance to recovering athletes, the High Fives foundation makes the difference between prognosis and new trends in recovery miracles.

In conclusion, I am extending my highest recommendation for the High Fives Foundation, as it is not only an asset to winter sports athletes in North America, but also a life-enhancing model for the world to follow. It is for the above reasons this foundation is loved by so many and respected so truly by me. It is without reservation that I vouch for the foundation’s character, its work ethic, and its sterling ability to contribute on the highest levels to so many winter sports individuals, with and without injury. The High Fives foundation has made a huge positive impact in my personal journey back from a paralyzing snow sports injury, and I look forward to promoting its greatness now and in the future

Sincerely,


Grant Korgan
Author, Speaker, Athlete

i was in a snowboarding accident March 2013 rendering me a quadrapalegic. It was through the High Fives Foundation that i was extended hospital stay and out-patient rehab. They were the catalyst to my recovery and i'm happy to be on my feet again thank you in part to the High Fives Foundation!!

High Fives is an effective and efficient non-profit that has a big impact on their clients. They serve folks with paralysis, spinal cord injuries and traumatic brain injuries and provide comprehensive services. The staff is caring and are living with spinal cord injuries, making them uniquely suited to help each client through the process.

In 1992 I learned firsthand how important community support is during the recovery of life altering injury. I was only 17 years old when my father and I hit a tree at over 80 MPH on Highway 395 while driving home from a downhill skiing event I had competed in at Mammoth Mountain. Another driver made an illegal U-turn on the highway and that moment changed our lives forever. If it wasn’t for our local community support that built a wheelchair accessible shower in my parents garage, drove me to physical therapy, or brought us food on a regular schedule there is no way we could have made it through those times. High Fives is that community to people that need it most.

High Fives is a nonprofit that inspires thousands of people across the US to live life at a Higher level. The core values of the High Fives Foundation is infectious to anyone that is introduced to them.
Although the foundation reaches across the entire US they keep cost to a bare minimum with a lean team. This insures that the dollars donated go directly to the athletes in need and education programs High Fives have developed.

The impact that High Fives has on individuals lives goes beyond words. Thank you High-Fives

High Fives is an amazing grass roots non profit. Roy Tuscany took a life changing event and instead of crawling under a rock he used this experience to help other people who had similar experiences and then also started an education program to stop the same thing happening to our children and other young athletes. Roy's personality and passion for his cause makes everyone want to be part of what he is doing. My 15 year old son thinks Roy is so cool that he listens to everything he says and wants to be just like him.
It is here that Roy has his greatest impact. He is a great role model.

I love High-Fives Foundation! They provide inspiration and support to people in all stages of their lives. For some it is the organization that picks them up off the ground after a life altering accident and shows them how amazing life is! for others it is providing a place to come for an amazing workout or a great massage/chiropractic adjustment/ acupuncture or a great High Five. Their Saturday community days introduce you to new healers in the community and give you an opportunity to 'try' it out to see if it is for you. The trio who runs the show are amazing, all of which have suffered a life altering injury. They have created an amazing center 'The CR Johnson Healing Center' that gives back to an amazing community of athletes and just regular people like me. Thank you Roy, Adam and Steve. Love, K

High Fives Foundation is single handily one of the coolest, most professional and innovative non-profits I have ever worked with. They are changing the lives of several individuals. And, they're proactively making the community of snow sport enthusiasts more educated and more interested in safety to prevent injury all together. They are proactive.

Roy and his team are genuine, authentic and are in it for the right reason. The highlight of my job is when I get to do productive and meaningful partnerships with High Fives. High Fives is the most inspirational foundation that is connected to snowsports and action sports.

High Five.

High Fives is hands down the most inspirational non-profit I’ve ever had the opportunity to work with. As an event planner and owner of Fitness based business, I am so impressed with their commitment to give to athletes who have suffered life-altering injuries while living an athletic life.

This organization is not only a passion based business but a very well oiled corporate machine. The directive of the company has had local and global impacts on individuals and families, hosted fundraisers that have met and exceeded goals and has built an amazing healing center close to their home base.

It has become a phenomenon in the VT area to even “know a member of the High – Fives community” it’s like a right of passage for many to say… I knew Roy Tuscany when….

The impact that High Fives has on individuals lives goes beyond words. Thank you High-Fives for the work that you LIVE!!!!

High Fives, summed up in a grammar school report card format....
"Plays well with others!"
Furthermore, the ongoing community outreach and personal touch that they use as a formula for success, is second to NONE. Love the Focus, the commitment and dedication of ROY and the BOYS. If High Fives were part of NASCAR, they would be the RICKY BOBBY of the whole dang Stock Car world. "Wewwwww, if you ain't first, your last"
Git er done!....
That's what they DO!
Love me some High FIVES,
Chris "Uncle E" Ernst
Sports Guy that Talks A lot.

High Fives Foundation is the best Non-Profit I have ever worked with! They are the most outgoing, nice, fun group of people that are always willing to help out. They host very fun events such as Trains a ski competition, Bocce Ball, Dodgeball, parties and much more to raise money for injured athletes. If you ever get a chance to join one of these events or just stop in the office and say hello I would highly suggest it. You will have a great experience and fall in love with the company.

This foundation has grown so rapidly over the last five years. It obviously fulfills a need, and the passion of the staff has turned into a powerhouse of good in the community. I can't wait to see the great things that are yet to be accomplished.

The High Fives Foundation is a true life-changing organization. I first learned of the Foundation from pro-skier JT Holmes. His involvement in the B.A.S.I.C.S. Program is what peaked my interest. I had no idea so many winter sports athletes, over the last 20 years, have suffered from a serious injury or died while participating or competing. Based on this knowledge I decided to reach out to the Foundation's Executive Director, Roy Tuscany, to learn more. Roy shared his personal story of tragedy and redemption with me and spoke passionately about why he wanted to pay it forward and create High Fives. From that moment knew this was the Foundation I wanted to get involved with.

I have attended a variety of High Fives non-traditional fundraising events and have met several athletes who have received grant funding to assist in their recovery from traumatic brain and spinal cord injuries. The fact that the Foundation has raised more than $1 million since its inception in 2009 and has helped 49 athletes with recovery is truly remarkable. It demonstrates that I am not the only one that believes in second chances and positively changing lives.

The Foundation is also a wonderful educational resource for winter sports enthusiasts as they get excited for a variety of winter sports. They offer video presentation that discuss helmet safety and usage, backcountry safety and avalanche safety and also tour the country to educate kids on smart practices to help reduce and prevent traumatic injuries.

There is no Foundation I feel more connected to than High Fives. I look forward to the future and hope they can continue to make a difference and change lives through the power of positivity.

We got involved with HighFives 3 years ago because we wanted to help out within our industry. Before long I got to meet some of the athletes HighFives works with and see the miracles Roy and his team deliver. Very special people and organization. Kudos to them!

High Fives Non-Profit is run by three amazing men. They are all athletes that have had to rehabilitate and push forward through pain, sweat and tears. Roy, Adam and Steve are always smiling and inspiring. I can't say enough wonderful things about these guys. The list of things they do for other injured athletes and the community as a whole is endless.

The High Fives Nonprofit Foundation and the CR Johnson healing center are nothing short of a miracle — a life and game changer in no small way. As an athlete who has suffered a spinal cord injury, I intimately understand the challenges that come with post recovery: the financials, the equipment, the therapy and above all the support. This foundation from jump is successful at bridging, eliminating or minimizing those challenges. This is a foundation whose roots are love, compassion, empathy, giving and strength, and those roots run deep and strong. The foundation is family in the truest sense of the word and has assisted and gone with me to some amazing places. I've never seen it's like ever.

High Fives Foundation has changed the lives of many winter sports athletes, and has become a beacon in the Ski and Snowboard Community. Keep the dream alive guys!

The guys at High Fives do amazing work to support their fellow athletes that have experienced a life altering injury or disease. Why? Because they have all experienced one themselves, and this gives them a very unique perspective. Roy, Adam, and Steve have each worked hard to rehab their bodies and adapt their lifestyles. They connect with donors and supporters when they relate their personal stories of injury and adjustment, but their greatest attribute is their collective spirit of optimism and perseverance. They have helped countless injured athletes to regain that spirit as well. They have my vote as the BEST non-profit!

High Fives is amazing. It is run by guys who themselves have been affected by life changing injuries or illness so they understand 100% what the people they are helping are going through. The energy and commitment to their cause is second to none. We live in the UK and following my skier son's TBI I happened to buy a jacket to raise funds for the CR Johnson Healing Center, which is connected to High Fives. I had a query about the jacket and mentioned that my son had also had a TBI (as did CR), to my amazement that was the beginning of a long correspondence from Roy Tuscany who just sent such positive vibes across the Atlantic to Matt and even arranged a few surprises. I can't think of anyone else who would do that. Most organisations would have fobbed my query off to a secretary to deal with and that would have been that. That is just not Roy's way though. If he thinks someone needs a bit of support, he's there. Not quite sure when he finds the time to sleep! I read their weekly newsletter and they just never stop fundraising, but in such a fun way too. We have nothing like this in the UK and you are so lucky to have them. They are the best! Any money donated to them will literally change someone's future.

Old saying in business: "There's the business you're in. And then there's the business you are in. And THEN...there's the business you are really in."

High Fives Foundation is in the business of helping athletes that have suffered a life altering injury while pursuing their dream in the winter action sports community. But to do that, they have to be in the business of raising awareness and money. That's hard at best, but they are great at doing this. With over 40 athletes helped to date they are certainly fulfilling their mission. Especially when you consider that many of the athletes they have helped have gone on to inspire thousands with their courage and kindness.

But to be in that business, High Fives has had to be in the business of creating and cultivating community through a dizzying number of events, produced content, and far-reaching communication. This is why they get the 5 stars. Of the thousands of non-profits, very few have achieved this.

The amount of love, stoke, and friendship that High Fives has fostered is amazing. They've created a community where their logo and awareness is as omnipresent as a global brand. You're just as likely to see a kid (or an adult) wearing a High Fives hat or t-shirt as you would expect to see a Nike, Levis, or North Face.

I have tremendous respect and admiration for Roy, Adam, Steve, and the rest of the High Fives team and count their presence as one of the reasons I would be reluctant to ever move away from this community.

I have worked with High Fives at multiple events and can honestly say that these guys take a community that is already tightly knit, pull on the ends even harder, and create a support system that is un-replicable. The difference they make is so obvious and the funding they receive is clearly used in a thoughtful manner to impact the community in a positive way.

High Fives is an up close and personal nonprofit in which you really see your dollars hard at work. My donation went directly to recovering athletes and they let me know, NOT pens or administrative costs. When, I donated to the cause and I instantly received a receipt for records and they instantly followed up with personal thank you via the mail. It was an extremely nice touch and made me feel close to the cause, like I was part of it. They are extremely professional and always keep a "true vision" on their cause. The message is very clear and you know exactly what you are donating to. I am proud to have donated to such an organization and will continue to do so year after year. High Fives!

Worked with them for years. They have been a great organization helping people that get hurt skiing or snowboarding. Motivational and great group of people.

The High Fives Foundation brings a much needed service to those of us in the action sports world. They regularly host events that not only serve as fundraisers, but also act as a catalyst for the community of the North Shore of Lake Tahoe. Not only do they serve athletes in need, but they serve the community at large.

I have no doubt in my mind that our community would not be where it is today without the High Fives Foundation.

High Fives serves a vital role in communities where winter sports are a big part of life. In winter sports centric towns people have abundance of passion and positive energy for life but not necessarily a lot of financial resources. When life changing injuries happen to people in our communities High Fives is there. They provide much needed emotional and financial support to guide people through one of the hardest times in their lives. One of the things that continues to impress me about High Fives is that they go beyond helping people through injury. They continue to support their athletes in the process of reaching their goals in the next phase of their lives.

The High Fives Non-Profit Foundation has seen a tremendous path of growth since its inception in 2009. I am quite proud of the effectiveness that hard work has lead to in terms of positively changing lives in the communities it reaches, winter sports enthusiasts and people that care.

From the first athlete served by the Winter Empowerment Fund to the 49th (and beyond), it has been an inspirational journey to be involved with this unique organization that emphasis fun and positivity in all that it does.

I recommend learning more, becoming involved and donating to this organization for the simple reason that although life-altering injuries happen it doesn't mean that life can't be fulfilling and rewarding beyond expectations!

-High Five!

My first time experience with the foundation was at a local event in Central Vermont (Ski-athon.) Their staff were/are AMAZING. The event was beyond words from the professional management to the volume of people they inspired to come out and support their cause. Their message is inspiring, but also fun. I'm really proud to work for clients who support the foundation, and to find ways to support on my own! I flat out LOVE these guys!

High Fives is an amazing organization! I actually received the first grant from the HIgh Fives Foundation when they took me skiing back in 2010 following my 2008 spinal cord injury. After my experience on the "being helped" side of things, I hung around and did whatever I could to help the guys, and eventually a position on the Board became available.

The High Fives Foundation truly does amazing things for winter sports athletes as they come back from injury, and I can tell you this from both sides. I'm not only a client...I'm a member.

This is the story of an amazing charitable foundation. High Fives not only celebrates come backs, they celebrate life and enrich the people around them. I will be donating to this charity for the rest of my life, because I know every dollar spent goes to those in need and what they can't give financially, they give out in positive, life-affirming high fives.

When I first moved to Truckee, I didn't know many people. I worked at a local bank and was having a hard time making new friends.
Roy, the founder, was a regular customer. After meeting Roy and hearing about his foundation, I knew I wanted to be involved. I signed up as a volunteer and within the next few weeks, I was helping out at an event.
Little did I know that by volunteering and being a part of this foundation, I would meet some of the most important people in my life.
Volunteering for this foundation is FUN, inspiring, and rewarding. I have been able to witness the help these guys are able to give to injured athletes. But they don't just help athletes, they help everyone involved with them. They helped me find a spot in the community.
Lots of love to these guys. They KILL IT.

This Charity has changed the lives of 49 athletes through the Winter Empowerment Fund, seen over 1100 athletes walk through the doors of its healing center, and educated close to 6700 young winter enthusiasts through its BASICS program

After graduating college, I relocated from the Bay Area of California to the mountains of Lake Tahoe. I knew that in order to land a great job down the road I needed to look into securing an internship. As fate would have it, my former coach at Sugar Bowl (Roy Tuscany) had just formed the High Fives Non-Profit Foundation in Truckee, CA. I interviewed and landed the internship. In the years to come I learned valuable skill sets and gained an appreciation for hard work. The effort and dedication needed for such a small staff (at High Fives) to be a successful charity is remarkable. I thank them for teaching me the power of positivity and how to set a goal and work towards it, no matter what gets in your way. High Five to this amazing organization.

Sincerely,

Cliff Costa
(Former Intern - High Fives Foundation)

There are only two non-profits for which I write endorsements. The High Fives Foundation is one of these organizations.

Roy Tuscany, one of the co-founders of the High Fives Foundation, continues to grow this non-profit with a primary focus in mind: "To raise money and awareness for athletes who suffer life-altering injuries while pursuing their dream in winter-action sports."

What I admire most, however, is how the Foundation has grown their efforts into adjacent causes, including teaching children how to participate in winter sports while being as safe as possible (the B.A.S.I.C.S program).

The High Fives Foundation is a non-profit to watch and support.