Every year, over 9,000 children and youth attend YMCA Calgary’s day and overnight camps. And every year, 1 in 10 of those campers are there because of financial assistance. To ensure no child is turned away from experiencing summer camp, YMCA Calgary is fundraising $100,000 through the month of June to send 500 kids to camp.
For over nine generations, YMCA Calgary’s camps have been making a difference in the lives of youth. “If you’ve been to camp, you know what we mean when we say it is a life-changing experience” says Jennifer Walker, Vice President of Philanthropy at YMCA Calgary. “It is a place where children can be themselves, and where they leave with more confidence, resilience, and creativity than they came in with”.
On June 3, YMCA Calgary ignited the campaign with a new initiative called Camp It Forward Day. The event brought together hundreds of community members to enjoy fresh lemonade, fun games and activities, and to raise money to send children to camp this summer.
“When we first moved to Calgary, it was just the two of us and we didn’t know anyone, it was hard. Then, I enrolled my son into day camp at the YMCA. It was a great platform for him to socialize, feel good, for his physical and mental health” says Divya Gujadhur, whose son is attending day camp again this summer. “It really helped us, because it made him happy.”
Thanks to community support from donors around the city, and gifts from the Tom Harris Fund for Families, Calgary Co-Op and 7-11, YMCA Calgary raised $27,484 on June 3. But we still need your help to reach our goal of sending 500 children to camp this summer! A gift of $190 will send a child to day camp at YMCA, and $420 to overnight camp at Camp Chief Hector YMCA.
Join the movement: Help ensure every child has an opportunity to experience the joy of camp. Camp It Forward today at Camp It Forward | YMCA Calgary.