Summer camp can be costly, especially for working parents who rely on camp for full-time care. A family can spend more than $3,500 to send a child to camp for the entire summer. Every year, hundreds of local children in need access YMCA of Northern Colorado
Day Camps with the help of the Y’s donor-funded financial assistance or CCCAP (Colorado Child Care Assistance Program). In 2021, the Y provided more than $90,000 in financial assistance to summer campers.
This summer, we know we need to do more. Because of the fires that ripped through our community in late 2021, so many families are struggling and so many children are hurting. That’s why we are setting a goal of providing additional camp scholarships
for 250 children impacted by the fire. The Marshall Fire caused chaos, stress and trauma for many local children. As the largest childcare provider in the area with numerous camp sites throughout Northern Colorado, we are committed to giving children
in need a supportive, safe and healing summer at camp. Our children deserve that.
We hope that viewers of Next with Kyle Clark will help us reach our goal of providing additional scholarships (on top of our normal financial assistance for kids in need) to children impacted by the fire. $50,000 will help us ensure that children
impacted by the Marshall Fire can enjoy laughter, friendship and activities to keep their minds and bodies active, helping them heal. The YMCA of Northern Colorado provides a social-emotional learning curriculum during summer camp; all camp staff
undergo Mental Health First Aid and social-emotional learning training to ensure children dealing with trauma, stress and big emotions have support.
The Y will also provide free YMCA memberships for these families — to ensure that all family members can utilize Y spaces and programs to move forward together and restore their emotional and physical health.
Families that have been impacted by the Marshall Fire and need financial support for summer camp can email Lisa.Swainey@ymcanoco.org.