Cal Camp: Serving the Bay Area's At-Risk Youth

Vital Stats

Nura A

Berkeley, CA

people helped10500
People Doing It 100

The Problem

I identify with at-risk youth, and I recognize that they and their untapped potential have a major role to play in our future. There is a void in the work being done to address at-risk youth within our respective communities. Cal Camp as an organization addresses the void within the surrounding Alameda and Contra Costs counties of California. I grew up in the projects and section 8 resident housing of San Francisco, Ca. I lived the majority of my childhood, 10 years of it, in Alemany Projects. Unable to avoid crime and violence, I became familiar with the rough life of everyday struggle that faces children in very poor communities. The similar issues that I've faced are rampant in the communities our campers come from, and sometimes to a much greater scale. It is this experience that I know and understand and feel connected with; it is this experience that has inspired me to take action to address a struggle within a much needed community.

Plan of Action

While Cal Camp has already been established, the focus now becomes how to make Cal Camp reach greater heights. Our organization’s next steps are to send out applications to seek college counselors. On average each year we receive 75 campers from nearby counties and about 25 college counselors. Our priority at the moment is to recruit as many campers from these counties as possible. Another major agenda for Cal Camp is apply for grants and other opportunities so that we will be able to be financially sustainable once camp approaches, because at the moment we are in a deficit and working tirelessly to come out of it. After we review and select counselor applicants, we will then undergo an intensive counselor training, the weekend prior to camp, in order to equip counselors with the proper knowledge. During the summer we all prepare for camp by buying required games and activities for camp as well as snacks for both campers and counselors.