Category: Fundraising

Increasing Impact in the Face of Rising Costs

A Thousand Summers changes kids’ lives through transformative summer camp experiences. That stated mission resonates deeply with many who believe in the power of camp.

We have benefitted from an incredibly generous and loyal base of supporters throughout our 37-year history. In that time, we have been able to deliver on our mission with increasing impact, growing from a fledgling organization that in 1990 provided the funds for one young girl to attend Cheley Colorado Camps to one that provided over $1 million worth of transformational summer camp and related experiences this year alone.

Investing in our Mission

As we evolve it becomes increasingly important to invest in our capacity to deliver on the mission that means so much to so many. We are charged with finding ways to secure a future that not only guarantees what we are doing to change the lives of youth today, but to expand upon that in deeper, broader, and more sustainable ways tomorrow.

That involves:

  • Developing highly regarded and relevant youth development programming
  • Ensuring we have enough spaces for increasing numbers of campers
  • Building a more expansive network of dedicated camp, community, and corporate partners who believe in what we do, can support the increasing demand in our programs, and are willing to share the financial responsibility
  • Developing our internal capacity through increased staffing to secure the necessary resources, help facilitate expanded programming options, and manage the partner relationships that are so critical to our organizational impact and success

Responding to Rising Costs

While we continue to do all we can to leverage relationships with our camp and community partners, raise funds, and effectively control expenses, just like everyone else, we are experiencing challenging cost increases:

  • In 2010 the average cost of a campership was $5,000
  • Today that cost has increased by around 60% and is now closer to $8,000
  • The costs of travel and equipment have also increased significantly, making it more difficult to support the young people we send to camp

We have been able to deliver the camp experience at a below-market price due in large part to the contributions of our partners, and we have not increased our Giving Levels for over 10 years. We will continue to deliver the camp experience at a below-market price, but as our costs rise, we must balance those increased costs without sacrificing our commitment to service and quality.

As a result, we will be increasing our Giving Levels on July 1 for our 2027 program year.

“Effective cost management is not about simple budget cutting but rather aligning every dollar with the organization’s mission to ensure high-value outcomes. The goal of ATS is to provide as many children as possible with the camp experience. ATS is positioned to achieve this goal for years to come.”—Mike Brower, ATS Board Chair

Delivering on our Commitment

We are committed to offering the highest quality youth development experiences for the young people we serve. We are also confident that we will continue to offer you incredible value on the investment you make in our organization.

It is our belief that the decisions we’ve made, coupled with your continued support, will ultimately allow us to deliver on the dream that Jack Cheley had all those years ago to make camp more accessible…the dream that launched a thousand summers.

We hope you will continue to support us with renewed dedication!

Support the Jack Cheley Endowment Campaign

In recognition of 30 years of the John Austin Cheley Foundation (A Thousand Summers) and in conjunction with Cheley Colorado Camps’ 100th-anniversary celebrations we are honoring Jack Cheley’s legacy with a campaign to establish the Jack Cheley Endowed Campership.

This $150,000 fund will ensure that a deserving camper attends Cheley Camps every year in Jack’s name, in perpetuity, developing lasting character and resiliency for the recipient through challenging experiences in a supportive and natural environment – just as Jack intended.

Bob Allen Street Family Challenge Match

Your tax-deductible donation can have twice the impact thanks to the Bob Allen Street Family Challenge Match which will match campaign donations dollar-for-dollar up to $45,000. With your help and powered by this exciting challenge match we aim to raise the remaining $90,000 to fully fund this Endowed Campership.  

2020 Week of Giving

Join our 2020 Week of Giving and help to bring the Power of Camp to a child whose family is unable to afford it themselves. Take advantage of our $50,000 Challenge Match and change a child’s life today.

Learn more

Click below for a special message from alumni camper, Kai.

Jack Cheley Endowed Campership

We are very excited to announce a campaign to establish a brand new fund – the ‘JACK CHELEY ENDOWED CAMPERSHIP.’

This $150,000 fund will ensure that a deserving camper attends Cheley Colorado Camps every year in Jack’s name, in perpetuity, developing lasting character and resiliency for the recipient through challenging experiences in a supportive and natural environment – just as Jack intended.

To support this fund today:

Visit our online donation page (dedicate your donation to the ‘Jack Cheley Endowed Campership’), or contact us by Email or phone (1.720.981.2532 extension 100).

How to Make All The Difference

While giving is usually considered a selfless act, giving is often more beneficial for the giver than the receiver. In other words, providing social support of any kind can actually be more helpful to the bigger picture of our lives than receiving it. Intuitively I think we all know this, because it feels amazing to help someone who needs it. And that’s because lasting happiness doesn’t result from what we get, but from what we give – the experience of making a difference in the world.

The science behind this is simple…

serotonin

Performing any act of kindness releases Serotonin in your brain. Serotonin is a natural substance that has incredible health benefits, including making you feel more joyful. However, what’s even cooler about this is that not only will you feel better, but so will others watching your act of kindness transpire. That’s right; bystanders will be blessed with a release of Serotonin just by watching you give kindness.

So keep in mind that while you can’t give all of yourself all of the time, you can give some of yourself some of the time, and doing so will make all the difference.

If you are looking for some instant happiness and wish to learn about the ways in which you can give to JACF then click on this link.

‘Expanding Our Impact’ Camper Contest – RESULTS ANNOUNCED

Announcing the JACF #ExpandingOurImpactGivingTuesday Camper Contest!!

Want to help the John Austin Cheley Foundation and earn great prizes at the same time that will help you be prepared for 2016?

Submit a high quality/high resolution photo and “camp impact” caption or quote that goes along with it to be used in our #Giving Tuesday Crowdfunding Campaign to help raise money for JACF camperships for the summer of 2016. We’ll also post the winning entries on social media and create dynamic posters for our office.

Here’s an example of how the entries will look once we finish them, courtesy of JACF Camper, D.J.:

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Think about the following questions as you create your entry:

1. Reflecting back, how has attending camp changed your life? What is the biggest impact that you can see right now?

2. What do you envision doing in the future as a result of your experience at camp? How do you hope to change the world?

Prizes include:

$100 Gift Certificates to REI

Camp Equipment

Deadline for entry submission is Friday, November 6.

Submit you entries here. We’ll put the photo and the caption together for you.

Introducing our ‘Expanding Our Impact’ CROWDFUNDING campaign

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Get ready for #GivingTuesday, a national day of giving, on December 1, 2015.

As part of this year’s Annual CAMPaign, “Expanding Our Impact”, we are launching a series of CROWDFUNDING CAMPAIGNS featuring the winning photos and captions submitted by our campers in our #ExpandingOurImpactGivingTuesday Camper Contest.

It’s easier than ever to donate! AND we will match new funds donated up to $30,000!

The campaigns launch on November 10 and allow you to donate directly at the campaign sites.

For every new dollar raised, we will match it to establish the first-ever camp-specific scholarship funds to double the impact of your donation.

Click here to visit our “Expanding Our Impact” crowdfunding campaigns and help us by spreading the word through your networks.

Wondering what’s happening with Colorado Gives Day for JACF?

You can still make your donations through cogives.org if you prefer, but as we say, we are “Expanding Our Impact” and reaching out to our national donor base through #GivingTuesday.

 

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Annual CAMPaign – Join us for CO Gives Day

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Colorado Gives Day is coming up soon on Tuesday, December 9, and for the fifth year the John Austin Cheley Foundation is participating.  COGives Day is a crowd funding event for JACF to increase the number of donors and donations, and to highlight our amazing campers as we raise money for camperships in 2015.  The idea is to spread the word and activate more people to connect and donate as we strive to raise $80,000 through this campaign EVEN IF YOU DO NOT LIVE IN COLORADO.
 
On the COGives website, we have posted fundraising pages created by campers from each of our camps, responding to our recent contest, #channelyourinnercamp.  Our campers have submitted outstanding stories about ways in which their camp experience has helped them be successful and change and grow as a person.  The stories are powerful, and you can read many of them here on our posts, view great video stories, and check out our Facebook campaign. 
 
How can you help us?:
  1. Send an email to at least 5 friends, family, co-workers, etc. with the suggested content below
  2. Follow us, like us and even post directly on our social media sites (Facebook, Twitter, Google+, LinkedIN and YouTube) and help pass along more great “inner camp” stories and videos, perhaps even one of your own
  3. Make your COGives Day donation (separate from your Annual Campaign donation)

Be a part of the crowd of youth and camp supporters and schedule your donation anytime between now and Tuesday, December 9 for your contribution to count in the total. Many, many thanks for your help again this year, and Happy Holidays to all!

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#channelyourinnercamp

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The JACF Annual CAMPaign is a movement to reconnect with your inner camp and share your stories to raise awareness of the impact that summer camp has had on you. With your support the John Austin Cheley Foundation will continue to bring this opportunity and this impact to more and more low income and underserved youth all across the United States.

DONATE NOW to our Annual CAMPaign and ensure the “inner camp” experience for low income, underserved youth around the country. Help us reach our goal of raising $600,000 for camperships for summer 2015.

Make your meaningful contribution TODAY and along with it spread the word about JACF and its impact by writing your own inner camp stories and sharing them here and/or on your own social media pages, with photos and videos, too, and with the hash tag #channelyourinnercamp.

 

Luis O, a JACF camper for the past two summers at Sanborn Western Camps, shared his great inner camp story with us at our 25th Anniversary Gala just a few weeks ago:

“Throughout my life, I have lived in the same house in Chicago with my two parents and occasionally my grandparents. I was born into poverty. My mother maintained a job as a janitor while my father desperately tried to find a job. From the background I am coming from, something as luxurious as a month away at one of the best camps in America was not something I could ask for. My experience at camp would have me going home with a greater sense of who I was. Camp gave me the confidence to talk, which for going now to a school like Exeter where every class is a discussion was huge. Not only has camp given me the time of my life, it has also helped with grades, class participation, meeting new friends, and living a healthy lifestyle. Without camp, I can’t say that I would be where I am today.”

John Austin Cheley Foundation

– How about replying with a post of your own “inner camp” story to help us achieve the goal of raising $600,000 for the summer of 2015 to provide camperships for youth to attend extended-stay wilderness summer camps that have a proven track record of positively impacting youth development.

– Consider making a meaningful pledge today to pass forward the “inner camp” experience to youth like Luis all around the country – click here to contribute to our Annual CAMPaign online.

 JACF Campers shared their inner camp stories in the following videos – click here to take a peek!