Pilot program offers discounts for Jewish summer camps

Foundation for Jewish Camp to give first-time campers on East Coast 40-80% off to help encourage affordability

By JTA 10 February 2014, 8:41 pm

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It will be difficult to provide the feeling of summer camp while social distancing, but camps are pivoting to adapt to the coronavirus outbreak. (Courtesy the Foundation for Jewish Camp/via JTA)

The Foundation for Jewish Camp is piloting a new program this summer offering some first-time campers discounts of 40 to 80 percent below the standard rate.

Called BunkConnect, the program will make available 1,100 discounted slots at 35 camps in the Northeast, New England and Mid-Atlantic regions, the foundation announced Monday.

The Center for Entrepreneurial Jewish Philanthropy is partnering in the program, which the foundation hopes to expand in the future to Jewish families and camps throughout North America.

The discounts will be offered to children from middle- and lower-income families, with eligibility determined based on household income, number of dependents and other factors.

Jeremy Fingerman, CEO of the Foundation for Jewish Camp, told JTA that the new program is “an affordability initiative to help families who think camp might be out of reach.”

Only children who have not attended the camp are eligible. If they return in future years, they will have to pay the full price or apply for financial aid.

Meanwhile, participating camps are offering discounted slots for sessions or cohorts that might not fill otherwise.