P2P Campership: Spreading Fun and Enrichment When School’s Out
Giving Back | contributed by P2P with PAMELA DEY VOSSLER
Photos courtesy: P2P
Ahhhhh …summer. What does the word conjure for you? Easier days, time outside—sand, water, sun? Vacations, camp and summer friends? For sure it’s a release from the pull of the rest of the year. What if, instead, it drove you down a spiral of worry over where your kids might go when school is out, let alone how you might possibly pay for it? With the P2P Campership Program, parents of hundreds of children living in low-income households in our area need worry no more. It’s an incredible program delivering summer fun and enrichment to children each year who may not otherwise have access to safe outside spaces to play. And, it’s peace of mind to parents who may not otherwise be able to keep the jobs they need to pay for food and rent.
We sat down with P2P to learn more about this great program, the brainchild of longtime Darien resident Sally Joslin who started it in 1969 as a way to connect kids from income-limited homes to swimming. Oh the places it’s gone since then, thanks to thousands of dedicated volunteers, social workers and donors, each a critical piece of the whole.
Q: Can you describe the P2P Campership Program?
P2P’s Campership program gives children in grades K through 5 from low-income families in our area access to a fun, joyful summer camp experience at no cost to the family. It is designed to give children a “traditional” camp experience. Our camps have a multi-disciplinary focus, with academics an integral part of the mix. Camps range from two-weeks to nine-weeks and also give children who might otherwise be home alone an opportunity to meet and interact with peers from different ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds, creating stronger bonds within our community. Most camps teach swimming. Some visit museums, aquariums, zoos, amusement parks, bowling alleys, etc. In addition, P2P Camperships reduce childcare concerns for parents and make it possible for them to continue working throughout the summer to maintain the family’s income, knowing their children are safe, cared for, engaged and fed.
Q: Who is eligible for the Campership program?
Most of the children considered for Camperships live in low-income households in Stamford and are referred through their schools. Typically, P2P Camperships serve approximately 15% of the total number of children who qualify for free or reduced meal programs, a primary criterion for consideration. P2P collaborates with Stamford Public Schools and receives referrals through school social workers. We also allow families to self-refer into the program if they meet the criteria for admittance.
Q: What are the benefits to the children?
There are so many! They include academic enrichment, enhancing critical skills, creative expression, team-building, active thinking and socializing over the summer months as well as adult and teen (counselor) role models. The children also learn water safety at camp, form lifelong friendships and are exposed to activities such as archery, gymnastics and swimming that they might not otherwise experience. It gives campers an opportunity to broaden their view of the world and return to school in the fall having gained in knowledge and social skills rather than having lost a summer to loneliness and apathy.
Summer is better for 350 kids from low-income families, and their parents, thanks to the P2P Campership Program
Q: Is the P2P Campership Program a standalone camp?
No, we partner with existing camps. Participating camps include: Boys and Girls Club of Stamford, Darien YMCA, Boys & Girls Club of Greenwich Camp Simmons, Boys & Girls Club of Greenwich Clubhouse, Long Ridge Camp, Roscco at Hart Summer Program, YMCA of Stamford Camp W.O.W. and City of Stamford Recreation Services summer day camps. Families select the camps that meet their needs in terms of location, transportation, meals and activities. Social workers work with parents to place children in the camp best for them. We strive to keep siblings together and match children to the same camp each year in support of the lifelong friendships they make by returning.
Q: How many children do you support each year?
Our goal is to support 350 campers per summer.
Q: How much does it cost to run the Campership
Program?
On average, it costs $640 to send a child to camp for the summer.
Boat Day provides a safe day on the water for P2P Campership Program participants from Roscco
Q: How is the Campership Program funded?
P2P conducts an annual appeal and Darien residents give generously to give these kids the joy of summer camp. OPUS, an organization dedicated to supporting Person to Person through a range of initiatives, runs an annual Blooms For Campers fundraiser in Darien each spring as well. Some years we receive grants.
Q: How does the Campership Program fit in with the overall P2P mission?
P2P’s mission is to provide individuals and families with essential resources to help them overcome daily challenges and put them on a path toward economic stability. Many families in our community are unable to afford camp or an enriching summer experience for their children. They are working to cover essential living expenses such as food, rent, utilities and transportation. Camperships also provide necessary support for our clients who are participating in our new Financial Opportunity Center®, a career and financial coaching service center that helps families living on low to moderate incomes build sustaining careers and achieve financial success. There are so many more people who need help and P2P is proud to be the conduit for so much care and support between communities.
To learn more about P2P, the Campership program and how you might help, visit p2phelps.org or contact Lauren Franciamore at 203-621-0686 or laurenfranciamore@p2pHelps.org
