Some vehicles are so popular they have their own online forums. Others even have IRL followings. But the Defender community takes fandom to a new level, gathering for an annual festival and celebrating the Defender Service Awards presented by CHASE, which support mission-driven nonprofits with cash and a customized Defender 130. Applications for the 2024 Defender Service Awards will be accepted from June 17 to July 29 (apply here), and you can learn more about the 2023 winners below. But to really understand this unique awards program, you have to understand what makes the Defender—and its passionate community—so unique.

　　Each year, hundreds of Defender enthusiasts make the annual migration to Destination Defender, a weekend event where fans gather to enjoy a perfect blend of adventure and luxury. They compare models, join activities from mountain biking to off-road driving, and embrace the Defender Adventure Lifestyle. Add in some top-notch glamping, gourmet food and drink, and fireside jam sessions—plus the presentation of the Defender Service Awards—and you’ve got an event that fosters community and celebrates the passion points of owners and enthusiasts. Sounds cool. But why Defenders?

　　The Defender Difference The minute you step into a Defender, you can feel a deep sense of history. Slide into the driver’s seat, and you’re steeped in an over 75-year narrative of epic expeditions, life-saving missions, and exotic world travel. Touch the steering wheel, and you can almost feel the tingle of adrenaline jolting through your fingertips. But history isn’t everything.

　　Over the years, the vehicle has evolved into a machine that perfectly marries form and function and can handle the roughest terrain with comfort and style.

　　The legacy, the performance, the luxury—the formula inspires passion, which was on full display at the most recent Destination Defender, held in November at the Iron Horse Ranch in Somerville, Texas. Everywhere you looked, drivers were chatting, laughing, or smiling from ear to ear.

　　“It’s a super-welcoming event,” says Jason Freer, a Virginia-based Defender owner. He said he went into it blind but was immediately struck by how adventurous, outdoorsy, and kind everyone was. That pretty much describes the Defender community in a nutshell, he adds.

　　It’s also a community that appreciates a refined experience. Every aspect of Destination Defender, from food to fitness activities, feels elevated. Everywhere you turn, it’s like you got a first-class upgrade, whether you’re testing yourself on the off-road driving course; trying your hand at biking, kayaking, or paddleboarding; or enjoying an evening of live music and gourmet food and drink.

　　Even today, Freer is still in touch with the friends he made at his first Destination Defender—and he plans to reunite with them at the next one. “It’s such a great community event,” he says. “It really brings people together.”

　　The Defender Service Awards But perhaps the best part of the whole weekend is the awards ceremony that caps it all off. After all, Destination Defender isn’t just a festival—it’s also a celebration of service.

　　The Defender Service Awards program, now in its fourth year, rewards U.S. and Canadian nonprofits that give back to their communities in unique and effective ways. For the six category winners, it’s a game changer: they get a customized Defender 130 and $25,000 cash from the category sponsor. Finalists make out pretty well, too, with a $5,000 prize courtesy of presenting sponsor CHASE. And every year, those awards are presented at Destination Defender. Since 2021, the program has gifted 18 customized Defenders and more than $700,000 in cash.

　　Here’s how to enter the 2024 Defender Service Awards, plus a look at how the 2023 winners are putting their new Defender 130 to use.

　　How to Enter This Year’s Contest  The Defender Service Awards are back in 2024—which means your favorite nonprofit could have a chance to take home its own custom Defender 130 and a hefty cash prize. To enter, nonprofits based in the United States, Puerto Rico, and Canada simply submit a video making the case for why a Defender 130 will help them better achieve their mission. The awards committee will announce finalists in each of six categories. Those finalists will then enter a round of community voting to determine the winner. The six categories are:

　　Animal, Wildlife, and Marine Welfare—Presented by Disney Community Services Award—Presented by ei3 Search, Rescue, and Emergency Support Services Award—Presented by PELICAN Veteran and Civil Servant Outreach Award—Presented by Hearts Science Outdoor Accessibility and Education Award—Presented by Outside Interactive, Inc. Defender Service Honorees Award Have a nonprofit you’d like to nominate? Learn more and enter to win at LandRoverUSA.com. The application period opens June 17 and closes July 29.

　　The 2023 Defender Service Award Winners Squamish Search and Rescue Society, British Columbia Search, Rescue, and Emergency Support Services Award, presented by PELICAN

　　Search, Rescue, and Emergency Support Services Award, presented by PELICAN

　　When firefighters and police can’t reach the scene of a critical accident, they send in their secret weapon: Squamish Search and Rescue. These dedicated volunteers venture into some of British Columbia’s most remote terrain to execute demanding technical rescues in all kinds of conditions. And now they’ll be equipped to pull off those missions faster than ever.

　　“We’ll be using the Defender as our hasty team vehicle,” says Christy Allen, communications director of Squamish SAR. The “hasty team” is the rapid response team—the light-and-fast crew dispatched to stabilize victims when the clock is ticking. Given the Defender 130’s off-road capabilities, high ground clearance, and four-wheel drive, it should give Squamish SAR the ability to blast through challenging terrain and reach accident victims even faster.

　　The group is due to receive their vehicle later this month—and already has a party (and a few overland volunteer trainings) planned. “Our entire community rallied behind us to vote in the Defender Service Awards,” Allen says. “We can’t wait to celebrate with everyone and introduce Squamish to our new Defender.”

　　Youth Sports Alliance, Utah Outdoor Accessibility and Education Award, presented by Outside Interactive

　　Research shows that kids do better in life—physically, emotionally, socially, and financially—when they spend time outside. To that end, the Youth Sports Alliance provides year-round sports programs and scholarships for young athletes throughout northern Utah. Right now, they serve about 2,000 kids each year. And now that the group has its own Defender 130, they’ll be able to serve even more.

　　“Having the vehicle has been a game changer,” says Emily Fisher, executive director of YSA, nodding to the Defender 130’s outstanding cargo space and roomy interior. “We’ve already used it to transport bikes to trailheads and kids to programs—and we’re saving up to $300 in vehicle rental costs per day.” The group, which didn’t have any of its own fleet vehicles before this, has already saved thousands of dollars over the past few months—which it plans to funnel right back into scholarships for kids. Come winter, the vehicle’s four-wheel drive, powerful engine, and smooth handling will also be put to good use: YSA plans to use it to transport kids and skis up and down the Wasatch Mountains for their signature ski program.

　　Kairos Adventures, Florida Community Services Award, presented by ei3

　　Florida-based Kairos Adventures uses art, performance, and music to help differently abled participants find their talents—and their confidence. Participants then use those newfound gifts to give back to their own communities, volunteering at nursing homes, animal shelters, and food banks. It’s a great full-circle system with only one issue: in the past, transporting participants to community centers and events has been a challenge. But given the Defender’s eight-person capacity, that’s now a thing of the past.

　　“Having the Defender has been incredible,” says Heather Subbert, executive director of Kairos Adventures. Already, participants have used it to pick up donated food, make food pantry deliveries, transport medical equipment to community centers, and supply food to families living with disability. “In case you were wondering,” Subbert adds, “you absolutely can fit 1,000 hot dog buns in the back of a Defender.” You can also fit a full wheelchair—which makes their new ride as inclusive as it is swanky.

　　Manitoba Underdogs Rescue, Manitoba Animal, Wildlife, and Marine Welfare Award, presented by Disney

　　Manitoba’s winters are notoriously harsh—and crises don’t take the winter off. That means Manitoba Underdogs volunteers have to be able to travel safely through snow and cold to reach dogs in distress, says Jessica Hansen, executive director of Manitoba Underdogs Rescue. The solution: the group’s brand-new Defender 130. With its adjustable suspension and four-wheel-drive traction, the custom vehicle will ensure rescuers can reach dogs in need in all conditions. “The Defender’s first mission will be heading five hours up north with a team of volunteers and a vet this June,” says Hansen. There, they’ll visit remote northern communities and provide an estimated 200 vaccinations to dogs in need. “[Getting the vehicle] has been an incredible journey,” Hansen says. “We can’t wait to get to work.”

　　Honour House Society, British Columbia Veteran and Civil Servant Outreach Award, presented by Hearts and Science 

　　In the past, when Canadian veterans came to Vancouver for medical treatment, they struggled to find an affordable place to stay. Now, they can reside at Honour House, a free refuge that houses patients and their families. And at nearby Honour Ranch, veterans can get free PTSD treatment on a 120-acre refuge surrounded by quiet forest. But accessing and managing the ranch requires a dependable all-conditions vehicle, which the nonprofit hasn’t had—until now.

　　With the Defender 130, volunteers will be able to access the remote buildings, perform repairs, and transport veterans to and from the ranch. They also couldn’t have timed the Defender’s arrival any better, adds Curt Appleby, the nonprofit’s assistant executive director. Right now, British Columbia is prepping for its upcoming fire season.

　　“We expect it to be the worst in recent history,” Appleby says. Fortunately, several of Honour Ranch’s veterans and volunteers are trained in firefighting and will be able to use the vehicle to protect the ranch and its grounds. “The vehicle will be capable of supporting efforts to pump water from various creeks and reach remote areas to extinguish smaller start-up fires,” Appleby says. “If we hear about it, and we can get to it, we’ll be there.”

　　Charleston Animal Society, South Carolina Defender Service Award Honoree

　　Hundreds of hardworking nonprofits apply to the Defender Service Awards program every year—which makes it ridiculously difficult to pick just a few winners. So, to give folks one more shot at the prize, Defender launched a new category in 2023 specifically for previous finalists. This year, Charleston Animal Society, the first-ever animal welfare organization in South Carolina, took home the prize. They received their custom Defender 130 this February and have already taken it to a number of community events, where it’s helping the nonprofit share their mission in a big way.

　　Having a good-looking vehicle with a custom wrap “has brought new exposure to Charleston Animal Society,” says Kay Hyman, senior director of community engagement. The vehicle also couldn’t have arrived at a better time. Much of Charleston Animal Society’s work involves rescuing animals from disaster zones—which means tricky travel through rugged, remote terrain. Fortunately, those are conditions the Defender 130 is uniquely equipped to handle.

　　“As we head into disaster season this summer, we’re grateful to have [the Defender] to help us respond to animals in crisis,” Hyman says.

　　Defender embraces the impossible. Each member of the Defender family is purposefully designed, highly desirable, and seriously durable. A modern-day hero that respects the past but at the same time anticipates the future. Available in 90, 110, and 130 body styles, with up to eight seats, each has a charisma of its own. A beacon of liberty since 1948, Defender supports humanitarian and conservation work with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and the Tusk Trust. The Defender brand is underpinned by Land Rover—a mark of trust built on 75 years of expertise in technology and world-leading off-road capability. Defender is designed and engineered in the UK and sold in 121 countries. It belongs to the JLR house of brands, alongside Range Rover, Discovery, and Jaguar.