Toni Neubauer Email and Phone Number

Myths and Mountains (www.mythsandmountains.com) is THE adventure travel company for the discerning and inquisitive globetrotter seeking hand-crafted, life-changing experience. Myths and Mountains specializes in custom and group trips to Asia, Southeast Asia and South America that introduce travels to foreign people, places and cultures and shift their perceptions and the way they see the world. Our motto is "Let the culture embrace you!" Over the years, Myths and Mountains has won many awards, including the Travel + Leisure Global Vision Award and Ultimate Adventure Outfitter from Around the Globe, National Geographic Traveler's "50 Trips of a Lifetime" Award, and I have been the Conde Nast Nepal Travel Specialist since 2011.Myths and Mountains is also known world-wide for its pioneering work in Travel Philanthropy, Back in 1991, the non-profit READ Global was created as the non-profit arm of Myths and Mountains. Today READ is a separate non-profit 501c3 housed in San Francisco, with its own board, executive director and staff. READ has won many awards, including the 2006 Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation's Access to Learning Award.

READ Global (www,read global.org) was founded back in 1991 as the non-profit arm of Myths and Mountains to give something back to the people in the countries in which we worked. READ partners with rural communities in Nepal, Bhutan and India to establish libraries that serve as community centers and platforms for education and empowerment. READ Centers are owned and operated by the community. READ requires a co-investment of at least 10-15% of the total cost to establish a READ Center. Sustainability is key to READ's approach. The operating costs of a READ Center are funded by a sustaining "enterprise," a small business operated by the community. Enterprises range from ambulances to community radio stations to sewing/weaving cooperates and agricultural cooperatives. Once a READ Center is opened, programs re offered both through READ country teams and partnerships with other organizations. READ's programs are focused on four major areas: Education, Economic Empowerment, Women's Emposwerment and Information and Communications Technology. Today READ Global is a separate non-profit 502c3 with its own executive director, staff and board. The organization has won many grants and awards, including the 2006 Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation's Access to Learning Award, given to READ Nepal.