Summer for All When School’s Out

Ahhhhh …summer. What does the word conjure for you? Easier days, time outside—sand, water, sun? Vacations, camp and summer friends? For sure it’s a release from the pull of the rest of the year. What if, instead, it drove you down a spiral of worry over where your kids might go when school is out, let alone how you might possibly pay for it? With the P2P Campership Program, parents of hundreds of children living in low-income households in our area need worry no more. It’s an incredible program delivering summer fun and enrichment to children each year who may not otherwise have access to safe outside spaces to play. And, it’s peace of mind to parents who may not otherwise be able to keep the jobs they need to pay for food and rent.

We sat down with P2P to learn more about this great program, the brainchild of longtime Darien resident Sally Joslin who started it in 1969 as a way to connect kids from income-limited homes to swimming. Oh the places it’s gone since then, thanks to thousands of dedicated volunteers, social workers and donors, each a critical piece of the whole.

Q: Can you describe the P2P Campership Program?

P2P’s Campership program gives children in grades K through 5 from low-income families in our area access to a fun, joyful summer camp experience at no cost to the family. It is designed to give children a “traditional” camp experience. Our camps have a multi-disciplinary focus, with academics an integral part of the mix. Camps range from two-weeks to nine-weeks and also give children who might otherwise be home alone an opportunity to meet and interact with peers from different ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds, creating stronger bonds within our community. Most camps teach swimming. Some visit museums, aquariums, zoos, amusement parks, bowling alleys, etc. In addition, P2P Camperships reduce childcare concerns for parents and make it possible for them to continue working throughout the summer to maintain the family’s income, knowing their children are safe, cared for, engaged and fed.

Q: Who is eligible for the Campership program?

Most of the children considered for Camperships live in low-income households in Stamford and are referred