Campership
Each year, The Guardsmen send more than 1,500 youth from disadvantaged backgrounds to outdoor programs. For many campership recipients, it is their first time in the wilderness. Post-camp, these youth show dramatic improvement in leadership, communication skills, and self-confidence. They form lasting bonds with friends and mentors. They come to experience their impact on the world. And they bring their new outlook back with them—back to siblings, in their daily decisions, and in the roles, they take to end cycles of poverty and violence in their neighborhoods.
Stats & Program Details
Annual Program Size
Over 1,500 at-risk youth are sent to camp each year—more than 150,000 since 1947.
Partner Agencies
The Guardsmen partner with more than 25 Bay Area outdoor programs such as those run by Boy Scouts of America, Boys & Girls Clubs, Catholic Charities CYO, Salvation Army, and the Seven Tepees Youth Programs.
Camper Profile
Campers are 5—17 and meet the eligibility guidelines for the Federal Government’s Reduced Price School lunch program. Counselors in Training also are eligible.
Counties Served
Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Solano, and Sonoma.
Fees covered
A Guardsmen campership supports up to $45 a day, per camper, for up to 14 days.
Program Support
In addition to the Campership program, The Guardsmen support outdoor education programs through flexible grants that provide immediate support or fund additional programs for at-risk youth.
Camp Okizu Spotlight
Success Stories
Nestor & Leshanti
The Seven Tepees
The Seven Tepees program is a safe center for kids in the heart of San Francisco’s Mission District that embraces a unique model of long-term and comprehensive support for vulnerable youth. Many participants live at or below the poverty level and have been victims of violence. From 5th to 12th grade, kids receive tutoring, mentoring, and job training services to develop self-esteem, academic excellence, and community values.
Four times each year, Seven Tepees offers outdoor experiences—often rafting, camping, and hiking trips—that staff find the most powerful in helping kids grow into thriving adults. “We have seen first-hand that connecting to nature helps many of our kids heal from the trauma of violence,” says Executive Director Diane Dodge.
Through the support of The Guardsmen Campership Program, Seven Tepees sends a group of kids for two weeks each summer to Hidden Villa, a residential camp that emphasizes environmental stewardship and multiculturalism, and where many youths get their first chance to milk cows, grow their vegetables, and participate in eco-friendly projects such as food composting.
When Hidden Villa stopped its program for high school kids a few summers ago, Seven Tepees struggled to find an alternative outdoor program for its older teens—until The Guardsmen stepped up to sponsor a four-day retreat addressing themes such as nonviolent communication, sexual education, safety and positive interaction with law enforcement.
“At the retreat, I learned a lot about communication skills,” says Nestor, a five-year veteran of Seven Tepees and Hidden Villa. “Now, when I’m talking to a friend, a teacher, or my parents, I know how to explain my feelings better. I have grown a lot as a person. I’m doing much better in school now, and I’m a lot more open-minded.”
“Our teenagers tell us that the high school retreat was the best experience they’ve ever had with Seven Tepees,” says Dodge. “And we couldn’t have done it without The Guardsmen’s support.”
“The high school retreat was emotional,” says Leshanti, an eight-year participant of Seven Tepees who will attend San Francisco City College. “Away from the City, we were able to share our feelings and fears with our friends from Seven Tepees on a more personal level than ever before.
DERICK
UC Berkeley ‘09
Living in public housing in San Francisco’s Western Addition, Derick’s single mom struggled to raise three kids on welfare. Poverty, crime, and drugs were all too familiar, but the Boy’s & Girl’s Clubs’ Ernest Ingold Clubhouse gave Derick an escape from gangs and violence and offered a place where he could play sports, hang out with friends, and relax as a kid. It was at the Clubhouse that his mentors convinced him to apply for a Guardsmen Campership to attend Camp Mendocino—the Boys & Girls Clubs’ 10-day overnight camp in Northern California.
Summer camp was the first time Derick had been away from home and the first time he experienced the outdoors beyond a trash-ridden city park. “Camp opened up everything for me. Suddenly my world didn’t seem small or narrow. I would go swimming in the Noyo River, ride horses in the Redwoods and make new friends. I would never have had those experiences at home, and I could never have gone to summer camp without the help from The Guardsmen,” says Derick.
Derick attended Camp Mendocino until he was 14, stayed active in the Boys & Girls Clubs, and eventually became a staff member—he was a natural role model for younger kids. Then, although he had barely graduated from high school, he approached a two-year degree at City College of San Francisco with maturity and determination that surprised everyone, including himself. When he graduated as valedictorian of his class, he earned acceptance to UC Berkeley.
Now, with boundless energy and optimism, Derick balances coursework in law and social policy with an overflowing list of extracurricular activities, including an internship in the San Francisco office of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and a counseling position with the San Francisco Juvenile Probation Department. By working with at-risk youth in the Juvenile Probation Department, Derick leads by his own example. “Kids come in with crime and drug charges, and I tell them my life story. I tell them about where I’m from and the choices I’ve made. I’m talking it and doing it,” Derick says.
FAQs
Who is eligible for The Guardsmen Campership Program?
Campership recipients reside in the nine Bay Area counties and qualify for the Federal Reduced School Lunch Program. The children’s ages range from five to seventeen years old, and support for the Counselor in Training (CIT) program is also available. Partnering agencies submit the families’ completed application to The Guardsmen campership committee for approval.
How are campership recipients selected?
Partner Agencies submit funding requests to The Guardsmen each year, identifying the number of anticipated applicants and confirming the applicants meet our financial guidelines. The Guardsmen reviews each partner request and pledges an amount for the year. Once agencies submit completed camper applications, payments are disbursed directly to the agency.
How much of the camp fees are covered?
A Guardsmen campership supports up to $45 a day, per camper, for a period of up to 14 days.
How to apply?
Partner Agencies submit funding requests to The Guardsmen each year, identifying the number of anticipated applicants and confirming the applicants meet our financial guidelines. The Guardsmen reviews each partner request and pledges an amount for the year. Once agencies submit completed camper applications payments are disbursed directly to the agency. Interested parties should contact the Partner Agencies of their choice to request campership support.
Partner Testimonials
“Girl Scouts of Northern California has been fortunate to have the support from The Guardsmen for over fifty years. With their support, we have been able to help hundreds of girls living in low-income communities attend Girl Scout camp, many for the first time. Outdoor experiences in Girl Scouts provide girls with unique opportunities to try new things, acquire skills, overcome fears, and help other girls. From one of our first-time campers: ‘At camp I can do outrageous things. I have new experiences. Make new friends. Learn new things- like how to start a fire, cook, what is poison oak, how to climb. I learned how to take care of myself.’ We are grateful for the generous partnership of The Guardsmen.”
“The Guardsmen is one of the largest supporters of outdoor, experiential education for underserved youth in the San Francisco Bay Area. Funding from The Guardsmen has been a critical component of Big City Mountaineers’ expansion, because it has allowed us to grow our Bay Area programs by at least 30 percent annually for the past four years.”
Mark Godley, Executive Director at Big City Mountaineers
“It is impossible to separate CYO Camp from The Guardsmen. The Campership Program ensures that there is diversity among our campers each summer. In appreciation of The Guardsmen’s tremendous support for more than 60 years, we established a Guardsmen Village at camp. We also host a ”Guardsmen Thank You Day” each summer so that members can meet the campers they are helping to support. I don’t know what camp would be without The Guardsmen.”
Deidre Rettenmaier, Grants Associate at Catholic Charities CYO
“When our Ray & Joan Kroc Corps Community Center and Railton Place in the Tenderloin went under construction in June 2006, we had no space to run our after-school programs. The Guardsmen went beyond their campership support and helped us to find an interim space to host the after-school programs. They were instrumental in helping us through a tough time when we needed external support.”
Rick Osgood, Advisory Board Member at The Salvation Army
“The Guardsmen has been a 60-year partner of Boys & Girls Clubs of San Francisco. During this time, the membership of this unique, San Francisco institution has improved the lives of tens of thousands of Boys & Girls Clubs members by raising money to send kids to camp, volunteering to mentor youth, making physical improvements to our summer camp, Camp Mendocino, and serving on our Board of Governors. We are a grateful recipient of The Guardsmen’s generous support.”
Joni Lachman, Vice President of Institutional at Gifts at Boys & Girls Clubs of San Francisco
“Since 1986, The Guardsmen has provided financial support that has enabled many LightHouse for the Blind youth program members to attend Enchanted Hills Camp (EHC) each summer. EHC fosters self-empowerment and independence among participants, and offers an environment where campers can be defined by their individual personalities and character and not by their disability. The LightHouse is deeply grateful for the ongoing support of The Guardsmen in helping us make a difference in the lives of the youth we serve.”
Tony Fletcher, Director of Community Services at Lighthouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired
“Last summer’s high school retreat, which The Guardsmen funded almost entirely, was the best experience that Seven Tepees has done with our teenage kids. The Guardsmen was flexible enough to meet our immediate need and get this program off of the ground. We couldn’t have done the retreat without The Guardsmen.”
Diane Dodge, Executive Director at Seven Tepees Youth Program