As the weather transitions from the warm, sunny days of summer to the cool and colorful days of early fall, Alaska’s children are returning to school with stories of their exciting adventures at summer camp. While parents worked and children savored their summer break, nonprofit organizations across Alaska were there to bridge the childcare gap and foster educational growth through their exciting summer camps.
In 2024, 40 nonprofit organizations received a grant from the Camp Initiative Fund to offer their summer camp at no cost to attendees, removing potential barriers to entry and providing fun throughout the summer.
ACF grants totaling over $930,000 supported campers around the state as they explored the beautiful regions of Alaska with camps like Petersburg Medical Center’s Summer ORCA Camp, built relationships and community with their peers at camps like VOA Alaska’s Camp Hope and Camp Shriver Alaska, got in touch with their creative side at the Armed Services YMCA of Alaska, and got a little muddy with opportunities like Takshanuk Watershed Council’s Summer Camp.
Summer camps provide enriching experiences for youth in Alaska and help connect participants to their peers, Alaska’s many resources, the culture of their community, and the beauty of the state we call home.
Campers play games at Petersburg Medical Center’s (PMC) overnight Kayaking and Southeast Alaska Skill Expedition Camp. To offer this camp, PMC partnered with Onward & Upward, a licensed and insured organization accredited by the Association of Experiential Education.
The Camp Initiative Fund, housed at The Alaska Community Foundation (ACF), is a collaborative effort of ACF, Rasmuson Foundation, Mat-Su Health Foundation, the George and Stephanie Suddock Foundation, and multiple individual donors dedicated to providing enriching summer experiences for Alaskan youth.
To learn more about the 40 organizations that received funding from the Camp Initiative Fund, click the button below.
