Summer camps cost big. A new initiative offers families relief
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A new initiative pledges $45 million over five years for tuition assistance and upgrades at Jewish summer camps in New England.
Why it matters: A full summer at an overnight camp can easily cost four or five figures, and New England is home to some of the nation's premier Jewish summer camps.
Driving the news: The Foundation for Jewish Camp will award $27 million for tuition assistance at 11 summer camps across the region, the organization announced Thursday.
- FJC estimates that will lead to 6,000 summer tuition grants, covering up to 40% of camp tuition, per a new release from the foundation.
How it works: Children whose parents earn less than $200,000 a year will be eligible for a summer grant at one of the participating overnight camps.
- Children from households earning between $200,000 and $300,000 can apply for a grant covering up to 30% of summer tuition.
Between the lines: Some first-time campers get access to scholarships through One Happy Camper grants, but these grants will operate separately.
- The participating camps plan to keep existing financial aid options in place, per the foundation.
Zoom in: The foundation's Jewish Camp Access & Excellence Initiative will also fund coaching, consulting and professional development for camps in leadership, tech, staffing and facilities planning.
- The foundation will issue $5.5 million in capital grants for expanding bunks, staff housing, dining halls and other spaces.
What they're saying: "It will open the door to Jewish camp for more families, help children return year after year and give camps the resources to grow while delivering exceptional experiences," Jamie Simon, the foundation's CEO, said in a statement.
Reality check: The grants will ease the costs, but that doesn't mean summer camp comes cheap.
- Six participating camps are in Massachusetts — Camp Avoda, Camp Bauercrest, Camp Pembroke, Camp Ramah, URJ Crane Lake Camp and URJ Eisner Camp — and the least expensive full-summer option is $12,950 for Avoda in Middleborough.
- The priciest is easily $15,000 for older children at URJ Eisner Camp in Great Barrington.
- Camp Tel Noar, Camp Tevya, Camp Yavneh, Camp YJ in New Hampshire and Camp JORI in Rhode Island, which are also participating, have similar rates.
What's next: The foundation wants to expand the initiative nationally if it draws more children and helps summer camps grow.