Camp Is Essential for All Children

Research continues to provide evidence that, of all the different
youth development options, camp has become even more essential.
Camp helps children develop critical skills, such as leadership,
independence, and the ability to make authentic human connections.  And
while camp might be thought of as a privilege, research shows
that all children benefit from the experiences camp offers.

  • C5 Youth Foundation was started as a way to give underprivileged
    children in the Los Angeles area an opportunity to benefit
    from camp. Students begin the five-year program in the seventh
    grade. The program has seen amazing results. Seventy-eight
    percent of the students who begin the program complete the
    program, of those who complete the program, one hundred percent
    graduate from high school, and ninety-eight percent go on to
    college.
  • Camp Sunshine, located in Maine, provides a year-round, free
    program to children facing life-threatening illnesses and their
    families. This unique approach provides respite, support, joy
    and hope through various stages of the child’s illness.
  • The essence of the UCLA UniCamp program is relationship based — camper
    and UCLA student. At least 160 campers ages ten to fourteen
    participate in each eight-day resident camp session. This program
    provides a service-learning opportunity for campers, enabling
    them to obtain leadership experience helping in camp operations.
    Each year, UniCamp inspires nearly 1,000 children from low-income
    families to envision better futures as they grow and learn
    along-side nearly 350 student volunteers.
  • Camp Twin Lakes, located in Rutledge, Georgia, is a nonprofit,
    year-round program for children with serious illnesses and
    special needs. Campers gain self-esteem, self-awareness, independence,
    and a sense of belonging by participating in recreational,
    therapeutic, and educational programs in a supportive, nurturing,
    fully-accessible environment.
  • Project Morry is a year-round program anchored by a summer
    camp experience. The program, which serves inner-city youth,
    boasts a one hundred percent graduation rate in areas where
    the average graduation rate is below fifty percent.

The American Camp Association® (ACA) community works tirelessly
to provide a camp opportunity for every child through partnerships
and camp scholarships. Most independent for-profit camps support
ACA’s efforts and their nonprofit counterparts with donations,
in-kind services, fund-raisers, and volunteer efforts. Learn
how camp can change a life
.

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