Our New Identity
In 1989 the John Austin Cheley Foundation was launched by friends of John Austin (Jack) Cheley to honor his legacy and help fulfill his dream of making the summer camp experience available to kids whose families could not otherwise afford it. We are excited about our new identity, but we are still the same organization at heart – founded to honor the vision of Jack Cheley and the dream that sparked A THOUSAND SUMMERS.
1,408
camperships
awarded
$583,726
in Camperships
awarded in 2021
78%
program
re-engagement rate
31
years
developing youth
Testimonials
“The people, environment, and experiences of camp have instilled in me values and skills that will stay with me for the rest of my life.
Thank you for truly changing my life.”
– Zahir G.,
3-time Campership recipient
“Having the opportunity to attend camp has really changed my life. I have gained valuable life skills that I know will go on to help me as I grow. Your support has made me into a better person and a better leader.”
– Krystal C.,
4-time Campership recipient
“The experience at camp helped Marcos to be more open minded to trying new things. He has grown in confidence and self esteem and this has helped him to seek out new activities and experiences.”
– Carlos M.,
father of Marcos, 1-time Campership recipient
“This is an unparalleled learning experience that can’t be replicated in a classroom or at home. For a child who struggles with low self esteem and anxiety, you have elicited a profound change that has the potential to catapult one towards an entirely new trajectory of hope!”
– Jamie N.,
mother of Cassidy, 4-time Campership recipient
“Camp has made me want to discover and learn new things and be curious.
I now believe that anything is possible if I put my mind to it.”
– E’Mari W.,
3-time Campership recipient
News & Events
To a certain extent, all children experience learning loss during the summer months when the school year ends. The temporary cessation of forma...
We are very excited to welcome six new trustees to our governing board. They each begin their first three-year term of service on July 1, 2021, and br...
We hope you will all join us for a short Zoom presentation and Q&A session for all former trustees. Tim Lucas, Executive Director, and Alyssa Stre...
We are pleased to share our Spring 2021 Newsletter featuring our Capstone Program as well as milestone anniversaries for some of our Associate Camps. ...
Each year, A Thousand Summers is honored to have some of our campers selected to prestigious leadership positions and programs at our associate camps....
A Thousand Summers works with incredible kids around the country who, as a result of their time at camp, are making a difference in their communities....
The kids in our Campership Program missed out on going to camp in 2020. For the past 12 months schools have focused largely on remote learning and man...
