FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

JUNE 24, 2019

$125,000 Investment from The Hearst Foundations Will Expand Camp Fire’s Teen Leadership Programs and Amplify Youth Voice

Kansas City, MO. – The Hearst Foundations have invested $125,000 in national youth development organization, Camp Fire, to help the 109-year-old nonprofit deepen its commitment to youth voice and expand teen leadership opportunities. 

“From my experience in Camp Fire as a young girl, to my position now on the Youth Advisory Cabinet and National Board of Trustees, over the past 12 years, Camp Fire has been a space for me to learn not only how to hear my voice, but how to use it to shape the world around me. I hope that someday, every youth will have that opportunity,” said McKenzie Napier, Chair of the Camp Fire’s National Youth Advisory Cabinet.

The $125,000 will be used over a two-year period and support Camp Fire’s 52 councils affiliates across the country. The three main objectives will be:

• Expand child safety policies and youth protection practices, to ensure a safe program environment in which adults support youth to lead.
• Increase opportunities for teens in Camp Fire to attend the biennial Youth Leadership Experience in order to deepen their leadership experience and collaborate with other teens from across the country.
• Support the creation and sustainability of Youth Advisory Cabinets and youth Board of Director members at Camp Fire councils through the creation of a digital leadership experience. This will allow teens to acquire advanced leadership skills necessary for success in their role. Training materials will also be created and provided to adult staff members at councils to encourage and support councils to create their own Youth Advisory Cabinets and/or recruit youth members for their Board of Directors.

“Youth voice has always been at the center of everything Camp Fire does,” said Greg Zweber, President and CEO of Camp Fire National Headquarters. “This investment from The Hearst Foundations will help us continue our commitment to youth voice and ensure Camp Fire can continue to meet young people where they are. With over 100 years of experience in youth development, Camp Fire is no stranger to adaptability. New technology and the age of social media demands that we listen to the needs of the youth and make sure we are prepared to champion their voice, on their terms.”

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About Camp Fire

Camp Fire has been an inclusive, innovative leader in youth development since 1910. Its proven programs give kids the life skills they need now, so they can reach their full potential. Last year, Camp Fire’s 53 councils served more than 187,117 youth and families across 1,271 program sites, in 25 states and in D.C. All Camp Fire programs are based on cutting-edge research and founded on the pillars of Social Emotional Learning (SEL), delivered through Out-of-School-Time (OST) programs, environmental education and camp, and teen service and leadership development. Because youth shape the world, Camp Fire’s focus is on giving youth and teens the opportunity to find their spark, lift their voice, and discover who they are.

About The Hearst Foundations

For more information please contact:

Erin Risner, Director of Marketing & Communications, Camp Fire National Headquarters

816.285.2001, Erin.risner@campfire.org

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