Summer Camp Scholarship Program During A Pandemic

About the Program

Category: Children and Youth (Best in Category)

Year: 2021

Since the establishment of the Summer Camp Scholarship Program (SCSP), 47,000 scholarships have been awarded to Palm Beach County children. The countywide program is facilitated by the Palm Beach County Youth Services Department (YSD) - Outreach and Community Programming Division and provides a summer camp experience to children from eligible families. One-fifth of children in Palm Beach County are living in poverty. Families whose income is at or below 150% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines or those that meet priority criteria (foster-care, homelessness, or involvement with the delinquency system) are encouraged to apply for the scholarship.Most recently in 2020, the SCSP provided 2,401 campers with scholarships. Once awarded, the scholarship pays full tuition and associated fees for children to attend day camp during the summer months. Camps are located throughout Palm Beach County and offer a variety of programming options including educational enrichment, recreation, sports, and more. In the summer of 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic caused numerous adjustments and adaptations to the SCSP as multiple sites were unable to open and families were afraid to send their children to camp. The SCSP demonstrated flexibility, creativity, and provided support to the program’s providers allowing 115 camp options for campers to utilize.