Can You Help Us Double Camp?
Dear Camp Jamison Supporters,
Think back to two years ago today. At that time, the COVID-19 pandemic was still new and packed with uncertainty and fear. Recently we have been able to get closer to life as we knew it before 2020. But as we embrace a return to the familiar, we also have the opportunity to do things differently. Bettina Love, a fabulous educator and thought leader, contends that we simply cannot go back to the way things were. And at Camp Jamison, we agree. We must reimagine our world with children first, the whole child, and every child. We must listen first. Not listen to incorporate, but listen to help young people take agency and transform the world into a more just place. At Camp Jamison, we listen to children, and that’s why, year after year, campers return to spend their summers with us.
One of those campers is now an almost 19-year-old Philadelphian. As a camper, he loved hiking Tumbling Waters, staying up too late, and keeping his counselors on their toes. At 14, after his week at camp, he wrote, “during the summertime, there isn’t a lot to do due to the heat in Philly, but I’m glad that I was able to come to camp, see my friends, go hiking and play basketball. It’s nice to see nature that we rarely get back in the city. Thank you for giving me this chance.”
Fast forward to the summer of 2021, after completing his first year as a counselor for other campers like himself, Jamel stood confidently in front of a room of reporters and celebrated what summer camp had done for him and its importance in our world. He said, “I have been going to camp for as long as I can remember. I owe the world to Camp Jamison for showing me another world outside of my city, a world that just felt so free and helped me strive as a Black man by teaching me leadership, how to care for others, and to keep going when things get hard.” That is the life-changing impact of summer camp. We are also happy to share that Jamel is now finishing his first year of college and joining Camp Jamison for his second year as a counselor. His campers can’t wait to see him!
Campers like Jamel and their families have been telling and asking us for more Camp Jamison since 2011! And after these last few years, we can’t wait any longer to give the children of Philadelphia more summer camp. We know our kids have dealt with so much and deserve more worry-free fun in a safe and inclusive community. That’s why we are asking you to help us fund our Double the Camp, Double the Impact Initiative.
In the summer of 2022, Camp Jamison will be by offering two sessions! This will allow us to double the number of campers able to attend and therefore double the positive impact of summer camp.
There is so much to look forward to, but it can only happen with your support. This year, with your help we have raised $76,000 for our 2022 sessions! However, we still have a gap of $135,000 to ensure Camp Jamison has TWO sessions and sends 170 kids to overnight summer camp. With your help, they will be able to enjoy a fun-filled experience of hiking, swimming, and just being a kid while breathing in the fresh air of the Pocono Mountains. Our campers leave transformed, having learned leadership, how to care for others, and how to keep going when things get hard. They’ll go back into the community ready to lead and care for others.
Click here to make your tax-deductible gift today.
With gratitude,
Jacqueline McDonough
Founder and Executive Director of Camp Jamison
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Amount | How It Will Be Used |
$50 | Board Games for Rainy Days |
$100 | Arts and Crafts Supplies |
$250 | Program Supplies – Basketballs, Soccer balls, Tennis Racquets, Drama Scripts |
$500 | Leaders in Training Off Campus Team Building Trip |
$1,600 | Complete campership for one camper |
$2,500 | Medical Supplies for our Health Center |
$5,000 | T-shirts for all campers and staff |
$10,000 | Full Cabin Sponsor |
$20,000 | Transportation Sponsor |
Donor Levels
Giving Amount | Donor Level |
$10,000-$50,000+ | Innovator |
$5,000- $9,999 | Founder |
$1,000 – $4,999 | Director |
$500 – $999 | Counselor** (Will receive our 2022 summer camp year book) |
$250 – $499 | Mentor |
$100 – $249 | Camper |
$99 and below | Visitor |