Austin Sunshine Camps

[photo: me, in position to catch errant tennis balls]


Spring, in addition to being the season of crawfish boils, is also the season for the Austin YMBL fundraising campaign for the Austin Sunshine Camps. Even more than I'd like a pint of Fireman's 4 and a basket of boiled crawfish, I'd really like for you to donate to the Sunshine Camps. Do it through my page, and/or do it through the page of another YMBL member. It all goes to the same great place.

Here are the stats on the camps:

* Nearly 1,000 ethnically diverse youth ages 7-18 are served per year.
* 60% are from households with annual incomes of less than $21,000.
* 31% of those annual household incomes fall below $12,000.
* 100% qualify for summer food service which is administered through the camps.
* 71% of campers are from single-parent or foster homes.
* Nearly 50% come from homes with two or more siblings.
* We serve a near equal number of boys and girls.
* Camps are offered free of charge to disadvantaged youth and children from low-income homes.
* Zilker Park Camps are for ages 7-11.
* Lake Travis Camps are for ages 12-15.
* Programs are volunteer-driven—by Young Men’s Business League members and others from the community at-large.
* $400,000+ annual budget is comprised of contributions from private sources—individuals, foundations, and businesses.
* More than 97.5% of the budget is applied directly to the programs.
* Since 2001, all Leadership participants have earned a high school diploma.
* Since 2001, 95 percent of Leadership participants have attended either a 2-year technical college or a 4-year professional college.
* Presently, there are 16 Sunrise Leadership program graduates in college.

This will be my third summer volunteering at the Camps. I can personally attest that going to the camps is a great experience for these kids. Moreover, the campers in the Leadership program are good, hardworking kids who go to the Camps year round for tutoring, leadership, volunteering, and education programs. $330 will send one kid to camp this summer, but just $25-$50 will go a long way.