For many children, summer is filled with camps, travel, playing in the neighborhood, or curling up with a book from a summer reading list. For children without those sorts of stimulating activities – especially children from low-income families or unsafe neighborhoods – not only do they miss out on the fun, but their summer break can result in “summer slide.” That’s when children lose some or all of the academic gains they made during the previous school year, and start the new year already behind.
But thanks to the generosity and foresight of a Minneapolis businessman more than 70 years ago, hundreds of local children get to experience the fun, friendships, and educational benefits of summer camp each year. This summer, The Minneapolis Foundation awarded $136,000 in “camperships” to help low-income children of all ages from throughout the Twin Cities attend 32 different summer camps. The funding comes from multiple donors who’ve generously contributed to a Campership Fund established at The Minneapolis Foundation.
The earliest contributor was Walter Boutell, who in 1929 left a bequest establishing an endowment to provide for (in the vernacular of the time) “worthy poor children…without discrimination as to race, color, or religious inclination.”
Other donors have contributed over the years, as well, allowing more children to benefit from these great experiences. Their gifts continue to support and delight local children – often in ways the donors could not have predicted. For example, in addition to 4-H camps and canoeing this year, children are learning hip-hop at McPhail, discovering traditional Native healing practices, producing radio shows – even children whose lives are constrained by peanut allergies can attend a camp with other kids facing the same challenge.
The Campership Fund and Mr. Boutell’s gift have adapted to our changing community and the changing needs of our children, and anyone can learn more or help create a lasting legacy at www.MinneapolisFoundation.com.
2011 Grant Recipients
- Anaphylaxis and Food Allergy Association of Minnesota
- Asian Media Access
- Baby’s Space/Tatanka Academy
- The Banyan Community
- Centro Cultural Chicano, Inc.
- East Side Neighborhood Services
- Emerge Community Development
- Employment Action Center, A Division of RESOURCE, Inc.
- Jabbok Family Services
- KFAI, Fresh Air Radio, Inc.
- Kaleidoscope Place
- The Link
- MacPhail Center for Music
- Minnesota 4-H Foundation
- Minnesota African Women’s Association
- Neighborhood House
- Neighborhood Involvement Program
- People Serving People
- Peta Wakan Tipi
- Phyllis Wheatley Community Center
- Pillsbury United Communities
- Plymouth Christian Youth Center
- Project for Pride in Living
- Project SUCCESS
- Sabathani Community Center
- Springbrook Nature Center Foundation
- Tubman
- Urban Arts Academy
- Volunteers of America of Minnesota
- Wilderness Inquiry
- YouthCARE
- YWCA of Minneapolis
~ Jo-Anne Stately is a guest contributor.
