Camps For Kids

THE MISSION OF CAMPS FOR KIDS IS TO WORK TO ASSURE THAT NO KANSAS CITY AREA CHILD WILL BE TURNED AWAY FROM SUMMER CAMP BECAUSE OF LOW INCOME OR PHYSICAL OR DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITY.

THE ORGANIZATION WAS FOUNDED BY MARJORIE POWELL ALLEN IN 1981 AFTER THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT DISCONTINUED A PROGRAM PROVIDING SUMMER CAMP TO CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES OR NEED AT NO COST TO THEIR FAMILIES. IT IS STILL TRUE TODAY THAT IT IS DIFFICULT FOR MANY FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN WHO HAVE PHYSICAL/DEVELOPMENTAL ISSUES OR WHO ARE LOW-INCOME TO AFFORD THE COST OF CAMP. CAMPS FOR KIDS BELIEVES THAT CAMP OFFERS OPPORTUNITIES FOR CHILDREN TO ENJOY A SENSE OF INDEPENDENCE, MEET AND MAKE NEW FRIENDS, AND EXPERIENCE FELLOWSHIP AND A FEELING OF COMMUNITY THROUGH THE UNIQUE AND POTENTIALLY LIFE-CHANGING EXPERIENCE OF SUMMER CAMP. THE VALUE OF THE CAMPING EXPERIENCE IS ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT NOW FOR THE WELLBEING AND FLOURISHING OF DISADVANTAGED AND SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN AND YOUTH GIVEN THE COMPOUNDING IMPACT COVID-19 HAD ON SCHOOLS AND EDUCATION OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS. THE CAMPS FOR KIDS MATCHING FUNDS PROGRAM IS A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY FOR CAMPS TO EFFECTIVELY DOUBLE THEIR FUNDRAISING EFFORTS, LEVERAGING BOTH THEIR DONOR'S GIFTS AND STAFF/VOLUNTEER TIME. CAMPS FOR KIDS IS NOT AWARE OF ANOTHER ORGANIZATION PROVIDING THIS TYPE OF SUPPORT TO HELP ASSURE THAT NO KANSAS CITY AREA CHILD WILL BE TURNED AWAY FROM CAMP. CAMP IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR KIDS TO EXPLORE THE OUTDOORS, BUILD CONFIDENCE AND NURTURE THEIR SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL WELL-BEING. IT ALSO BRIDGES THE GAP BETWEEN SCHOOL YEARS AND AIDS IN LIMITING THE LEARNING LOSS THAT HAPPENS DURING THE SUMMER. EDUCATORS, CHILD EXPERTS, AND PARENTS HAVE ALWAYS KNOWN THAT CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS BENEFIT FROM SUMMER CAMP EXPERIENCES, BUT FOR KIDS WITH PHYSICAL OR DEVELOPMENTAL NEEDS, OR FINANCIAL NEED, THE OPPORTUNITIES TO EXPERIENCE SUMMER CAMPS ARE LIMITED. THE MATCHING FUNDS PROGRAM IS A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT BY AREA SUPPORTERS TO ENCOURAGE DONATIONS TO CAMP PROGRAMS FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH, MANY OF WHOM HAVE SPECIAL MEDICAL, EMOTIONAL OR FINANCIAL NEEDS. THE UNDERLYING GOAL FOR THE PROGRAM IS TO HELP CAMPS HAVE THE FUNDS TO ASSURE THAT CHILDREN WILL NOT BE DENIED THE CAMPING EXPERIENCE BECAUSE OF LOW INCOME OR FINANCIAL/MEDICAL DISADVANTAGE. CAMPS IN THE NETWORK EACH HAVE A SPECIFIC FOCUS, MANY RELATED TO CHILDREN'S HEALTH. THESE INCLUDE BLOOD DISORDERS, AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDERS, SPINA BIFIDA, CANCER, FOSTER CARE CHILDREN, BEREAVEMENT THERAPY, VISION CHALLENGES, DEVELOPMENTAL CHALLENGES, AND CONGENITAL HEART DISEASE. SEVERAL CAMPS PROVIDE ACCESS TO THE ARTS AND THE ENVIRONMENT TO UNDERPRIVILEGED CHILDREN AND YOUTH. MANY CAMPS HAVE SMALL STAFFS AND UTILIZE VOLUNTEERS TO CONDUCT THEIR ACTIVITIES. THEIR FOCUS IS ON PROVIDING AN OUTSTANDING CAMPING EXPERIENCE FOR THE CHILDREN. FEW HAVE DEDICATED PERSONNEL WITH ENOUGH TIME TO RAISE THE NEEDED FUNDS TO SUPPORT THE CAMP'S PROGRAMS. "WITHOUT THE SUPPORT OF CAMPS FOR KIDS AND THE MATCHING FUND, CHD FAMILIES WOULD BE UNABLE TO PROVIDE A FREE MEDICALLY SUPERVISED SUMMER CAMP FOR KIDS WITH CONGENITAL HEART DEFECTS." -DIRECTOR, CAMP SYSTOLE. THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC PRESENTED CONTINUOUS CHALLENGES FOR ALL OUR NETWORK CAMPS IN 2021, STILL OVER 2,000 CHILDREN AND YOUTH WERE SERVED IN 2021 AND NO CHILD WAS TURNED AWAY BECAUSE OF INABILITY TO PAY. CAMPS FOR KIDS SERVES ALL PHYSICALLY, EMOTIONALLY, MEDICALLY, AND FINANCIALLY CHALLENGED CHILDREN AND YOUTH IN THE KANSAS CITY METROPOLITAN AREA. PRIOR TO COVID WE SERVED OVER 3,500 CHILDREN AND YOUTH A YEAR. A MAJORITY, 91%, OF OUR 22 NETWORK CAMPS PROCEEDED WITH THEIR SUMMER CAMPS IN 2021, CONTINUING TO MAKE THE UNIQUE EXPERIENCE OF SUMMER CAMP AVAILABLE TO THE SPECIAL NEEDS AND UNDERPRIVILEGED COMMUNITIES THAT WE HAVE SERVED SINCE 1981. CAMP DIRECTORS AND STAFF WORKED TO ADAPT TO THE NEW REALITIES AND MEET THE UNIQUE NEEDS OF THE CHILDREN AND YOUTH THEY SERVE. FOR MANY THIS INVOLVED DELAYED START DATES AND NEW LOGISTICAL ISSUES FOR VOLUNTEERS AND MEDICAL STAFF. THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION DETAILS THE IMPACT OF THE PROGRAM IN 2021: 2,245 CHILDREN ABLE TO ATTEND DUE TO CAMPS FOR KIDS SUPPORT, 1,270 (57%) CHILDREN IDENTIFIED BY CAMP STAFF AS MEDICALLY DISADVANTAGED, AND 1,623 (64%) CHILDREN IDENTIFIED BY CAMP STAFF AS FINANCIALLY DISADVANTAGED (SOME CHILDREN ARE COUNTED IN BOTH CATEGORIES). DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION OF CAMP ATTENDEES: (AGE RANGE 5-18) AFRICAN AMERICAN 23%, ASIAN AMERICAN 3%, CAUCASIAN 57%, HISPANIC AMERICAN 10%, MULTIPLE RACE 5%, NATIVE AMERICAN 1%, AND OTHER 1%.