Empowering Youth Philanthropists: A Recap of Camp Give 2023

August 7, 2023 | Written by Branden Waggoner

At New Life Furniture Bank, campers used donated wood scraps to build end tables for families in need.

Camp Give, a transformative summer program by Magnified Giving, concluded its 2023 edition with four separate action-packed weeks, leaving an indelible mark on young philanthropists' hearts. Throughout June and July, rising 5th to 9th graders participated in activities and service projects designed to instill empathy, compassion, and leadership skills.

Camp Give is unique from other summer camps because of its focus on fun and meaningful hands-on service projects. Each day, campers visited local nonprofits to learn about their missions and meet real needs through service, often learning about issues they’ve never thought about before. At Sleep in Heavenly Peace, an organization that builds bunk beds for children and families who don’t have beds or pillows to sleep on, campers sanded down pieces of wood that will be used to assemble beds. One camper, Payton, said, “I really like their mission because what they do is something we take for granted - such as going home to a bed every night.” In this way, campers learned about a wide range of challenges in their own community, discovered what local nonprofits are doing about it, and explored how they can use their time, talent, and treasure to help. 

Campers learned how to use sanders and assemble beds at Sleep in Heavenly Peace.

A typical day at Camp Give started with fun creative time and games that were intertwined with social issues, followed by a trip to a local Cincinnati nonprofit to work together on a service project and see how fun giving can be. After building activity packets that will be made available to teachers in need at Crayons to Computers, one camper, Max, said, “I thought it was fun to make it easier on the teachers and provide them with supplies!” Roba said, “I feel good helping students in need.”

At the end of each week, campers partnered with Payton’s Lemonade Stand and sold lemonade to raise funds for kids facing medical, personal, or financial hardships. Campers also developed presentations to share about the nonprofits they served with their parents and community members, and they also chose nonprofits to receive a portion of their camp fee. As a result, by the time the week was over, campers were able to experience the joy of giving time, talent, and treasure to worthy causes!

The Power of Philanthropy Unleashed

Campers served Tikkun Farms by chopping peppers and celery to be used in crockpot meals that are donated to families in Mt Healthy!

Amid the laughter, learning, and camaraderie, Camp Give campers made an impact in the community and demonstrated that age is no barrier to making a difference. Their experiences at Camp Give will undoubtedly shape their futures, as they continue to carry the torch of philanthropy.

Alison Kaufman, Director of Programs at Magnified Giving reflected on the exciting summer, saying, "Camp Give is a special camp that allows children with different interests and abilities to come together as one community to give their time, talent, and treasure. We learn directly from parents every year that they are witnessing their child become a kinder and more empathetic person thanks to the week at Camp Give. - It truly is special."

Thank you to all of the nonprofits who partnered with us to educate campers in their missions and arrange meaningful service projects and activities:

New Life Furniture Bank, Tikkun Farms, The Healing Center, Payton’s Lemonade Stand, Sleep in Heavenly Peace, Matthew 25: Ministries, Crayons to Computers, 1N5, Sweet Cheeks Diaper Bank, CancerFree Kids, Evendale Fire Department, St. Vincent de Paul - The Ozanam Center for Service-Learning, Henry Hosea House, Brighton Center, and Ohio Valley Book Bank.

Join Us Next Summer

As the sun sets on Camp Give 2023, Magnified Giving eagerly awaits the next summer to welcome a new group of young philanthropists. Through Camp Give, youth are educated about philanthropy and inspired and engaged in making a meaningful impact. Together, we will continue to magnify the power of giving, one camper at a time.

For more information on Camp Give, click here.

At Sweet Cheeks Diaper Bank, campers packed 8,325 diapers to be delivered to families in need.

Campers learned new skills with useful tools completing projects both at New Life Furniture Bank and Sleep in Heavenly peace.

At Tikkun Farms, in addition to feeding animals and potting native plans, campers socialized animals, including cute chicks!