“I love summer! I can’t wait to go to camp this year, and then the next year, and the next year…”
~Abby, Camp Freedom
July 2024
Dear Friend,
The warm sun fills the air during free time at camp Freedom, and for Abby, it signals that finally summer has arrived. When asked about summer camp, Abby exclaimed “I love summer! I can’t wait to go to camp this year, and then the next year, and the next year…”
For Abby, Summer Camp means hundreds of kids together laughing at skits, playing games, singing songs, and going on field trips like Water Day.
Not every day was fun and games, though. On hard days, Abby threw pencils, screamed, and shut down if things did not go her way. On many occasions her grandmother, Ms. Suzette, had to come in to take her home early.
“Abby wasn’t herself. She’s not like that.” Ms. Suzette recalled. “She’s so loving, and she’s the life of the party…that’s why I knew she had to go to UrbanPromise.”
Ms. Suzette knows UrbanPromise because two decades ago, her children were some of the very first StreetLeaders. From that time, she remembers how good it was for her kids, how they grew to be leaders, and she wanted that for Abby, too. Camp Freedom Summer Camp provided the open door for Abby to get connected.
“And when I heard about the school,” Ms. Suzette reflected “that it was a school that prays, I knew I had to get Abby in!”
Abby enrolled in the elementary school, but still challenged her new teachers with some behavior issues. From camp staff to school teachers, no one gave up on Abby. “They always do what is best for her,” Ms. Suzette said. “They love her.”
And thanks to UPW staff, and the constant dedication of Ms. Suzette, Abby has transformed. She no longer throws fits, she has learned to respect others, to respect property, and she has become the life of the party at UrbanPromise, just like Ms. Suzette knew she could be.
When asked what makes camp and school so special, Abby immediately replied “It’s the Jesus camp! I love Jesus!” and Ms. Suzette replied “It’s the love. Nobody loves like you all do.”
On June 25th, a flood of children from Wilmington’s neighborhoods entered UPW summer camps, some for the first time. Fun games, loud, silly songs, and welcoming staff greeted them. Like Ms. Suzette’s children and grandchildren, they will experience a love that has crossed multiple generations. For others, summer camp will be a gateway to other open doors for full life.
When you donate to make summer camp a fun, safe, and lively environment, you open those doors for children across the city to an experience they will never forget.
There’s an envelope enclosed in this letter. Will you return it with a donation to make UrbanPromise summer camps the best possible experience for children like Abby?
$35 provides pizza for camp night. A bus for a field trip costs $250. $100 fills up a van with gas so we can pick up and drop off campers. $50 provides snacks and activities for Water Day. $500 takes all the camps roller skating.
Thank you for opening the door to Abby and children across Wilmington. We look forward to sharing the growth of Abby and others like her for generations to come.
Sincerely,
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| Dionne Xavier Executive Council Head of Schools | Josh Gregor Executive Council Director of StreetLeaders | James Russell Executive Council COO |
 | Summer Camp 2024 is in full swing! You should Come & See! To book a summer tour  |  |