SOS !! Summer Students No Grants :(

We are Camp Promise Barrie!  A not-for profit charitable outreach to our community in the north east end of the growing city of Barrie, Ontario.              

For three years we have been building relationships with children and their families through after school program, March Break and Summer Camp! We are open to anyone who wants to come, but we believe in providing something for those who otherwise would not be able to afford to attend programs and camps...and so there is no cost for after school program, a small $10 cost for March Break Camp and for a full week of summer camp, 6 hours a day, we have a suggested donation of $30.  The families in our community at Camp Promise often have multiple children. All ages SK to going into grade 7 are provided fun, learning and adventure and an opportunity to learn about God, the Bible and the love God has for them!  When students are going into grade 8, we offer a Leader in Training program that is ongoing through their high school years if they choose to (and many do!) journey with us!  We operate with one full time staff who has to raise her own funds to lead and direct Camp Promise and dedicated volunteers age 14 to seniors!  

This summer, we face a new challenge. Having had college, university and high school students eligible to receive the "Summer Student Grants" offered in the past by the Federal Government, summer camp was well equipped with excellent leadership and provided a great financial benefit for those who if they had been only able to  volunteer, might have had to look elsewhere for a job to help fund their post secondary schooling!   This year, the government has declined our application for summer grants because we will not attest to their new agreement statements that challenge those in faith based organizations, churches, and faith run programs for at risk children and youth, such as Camp Promise. The government's position is discriminatory towards the charter of rights and freedoms granted to all, including faith based organizations, programs and churches. Without this funding, we must raise our own funds to hire students or work with much younger volunteers who are not yet looking for summer jobs and who are not yet mature enough to lead the camp without more senior students!  NOT being able to receive funding places very important services and opportunities for under-served children at risk!  Our specific community would be void of affordable resources for summer opportunities if Camp Promise did not operate for the month of July!
                            
Would you consider donating to our SOS: Support Our Summer Student Fund so we can hire 3  students for the month of July this summer? We need to start receiving these funds right away to be able to plan for our month of July camps!