JCC Chicago’s Camp Chi and ‘Z’ Frank Apachi Day Camp Awarded with Unprecedented Grants
Camp Chi and ‘Z’ Frank Apachi Named Yashar Grant Recipients to Increase Accessibility for Campers and Staff with Disabilities
Northbrook, IL – April 8, 2019 — In an unprecedented national push for inclusion, JCC Chicago’s Camp Chi in Lake Delton, WI, and ‘Z’ Frank Apachi Day Camp in Northbrook, are among 16 Jewish day and overnight camps to receive historic grants through the Foundation for Jewish Camp. The first phase of the Yashar Initiative, funded by The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation, enables Jewish day and overnight camps to make important capital improvements to increase accessibility for campers and staff with disabilities.
“JCC Chicago’s day camp and overnight camp experiences have set the national standard for models of true inclusion,” said Addie Goodman, President/CEO, JCC Chicago. “Through our deep partnership with Keshet, we have redefined what acceptance and inclusion looks like, always dreaming about what more is possible. The confidence of Foundation for Jewish Camp and The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation is both exciting and heartwarming. Together, we look forward to embarking on these projects and continuing to address accessibility to ensure that every child has access to Jewish summer camp.”
The Yashar grant at ‘Z’ Frank Apachi Day Camp is part of a $1M investment in accessibility for campers and staff. The project will begin with a significant renovation of the bathrooms and pool changing areas in compliance with ADA standards with specific attention paid to the needs of campers with disabilities. The baseball field will also be upgraded to meet accessibility standards and a new 4500 square foot covered pavilion will be constructed to support all-camp programs, such as Shabbat, as well as year-round initiatives. Funding through the Yashar initiative has been matched, in part, by community support.
The Yashar grant at Camp Chi, part of the Camp Chi Centennial Campaign, will support renovation of four cabins, one in each of four main camp villages, to be accessible for campers with disabilities. The project includes expanding the porch and interior layout of the cabins, adding a ramp and charging station for electric wheelchairs, and improving the pathways that surround each cabin and lead from cabins to assigned bathhouses. This is a pilot project that will be tested for summer 2019 and expanded in subsequent summers.
About JCC Chicago: JCC Chicago is a non-profit organization inspired by Jewish values, bridging traditions and generations to create a more vibrant, connected community. JCC is a partner with the Jewish United Fund in serving our community. www.jcccchicago.org
About Foundation for Jewish Camp: Jewish camp has proven to be a highly effective vehicle for engaging children, teens, young adults and families in Jewish life. Founded in 1998, Foundation for Jewish Camp (FJC) is committed to bolstering excellence throughout the Jewish camp field and amplifying their success and impact by catalyzing innovation. Foundation for Jewish Camp works with over 300 day and overnight camps, serving approximately 180,000 campers and counselors across North America, providing professional development opportunities for camp leaders, expanding access to and demand for Jewish camp, enhancing camp’s Jewish impact, leading the field in staff and camper care, and developing programs to strengthen camps across the Jewish spectrum — including its signature One Happy Camper® program, which has enabled tens of thousands of young people to experience Jewish camp for the first time. For more information, please visit www.jewishcamp.org.
About The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation: The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation, one of the 50 largest private charitable foundations in the United States, is dedicated to meeting the basic needs of vulnerable people and families experiencing poverty. In 2019, the Foundation will provide approximately $125 million in grants to nonprofits that provide direct services in the areas of Housing, Health, Jobs, Education, and Community Services. The Foundation’s priority communities include Baltimore, Chicago, Hawaii, Israel, New York City, Northeastern Pennsylvania, San Francisco, and Rural Communities (primarily surrounding other priority communities). The Foundation’s trustees include Robert T. Kelly, Jr., Board Chair; Ambassador Fay Hartog-Levin (Ret.); Paula B. Pretlow; and Gordon Berlin. Rachel Garbow Monroe serves as President and CEO. For more information, please visit www.hjweinbergfoundation.org.
Contact:
Elizabeth Abrams
224.406.9212
eabrams@jccchicago.org