Over the summer, 12 students participating in Brighton Center’s Youth Leadership Development program were given the opportunity to realize their own time, talent, and treasure in improving the community around them through Camp Give Northern Kentucky.
Camp Give by Magnified Giving is a summer service-learning program with the mission to inspire the next generation of philanthropists to use their time, talent, and treasure to strengthen their communities.
Brighton Center’s Camp Give
During Camp Give, presented by Magnified Giving with financial support from Horizon Community Funds of Northern Kentucky, the middle and high school participants conducted virtual site visits and awarded more than $5,000 to four organizations they had learned about during the process.
“Camp Give is such a tangible way to both brighten the lives of our community’s students, and to invite them to explore their own potential as a donor and changemaker,” said Nancy Grayson of the Horizon Community Funds. “A gift of any value, monetary or otherwise, makes an impact on our nonprofits in Northern Kentucky. Horizon Community Funds happily supports this program and the partners that bring it to life in our community.”
New to the camp program this year was the Camp Give Plant Sale, powered by Brighton Center YLD campers. In just two days, the sale generated an additional $2,000 towards the grants the students awarded at the end of camp.
“Magnified Giving is very proud of our continued partnership with Horizon Community Funds of Northern Kentucky in providing Camp Give to children in the Brighton Center YLD summer program,” said Magnified Giving Executive Director Kelly Collison. “It is such a pleasure to work with partners who collaborate on the same simple mission — to respect and educate the children in our community, engage with them to learn about their gifts and talents and encourage them to use those gifts to serve others in need who live in their own neighborhoods and meet the nonprofits who serve them consistently.”
In addition to learning about the nonprofits while considering their monetary gifts, the campers had the opportunity to serve at one among the lineup, Emergency Shelter of Northern Kentucky. Campers spent one session during the week making hundreds of sandwiches and one hundred laundry kits for the shelter, which offers a low barrier shelter and services for men and women in Northern Kentucky.
Campers also took some time to learn about themselves, creating positive messages and “I CAN” statements for their personal banners after a morning of engaging conversation and challenging verbal instructions to work through with partners.
“Camp Give is a unique experience where youth are empowered to get involved in their community, which is a key protective factor for youth,” said Brighton Center YLD Coordinator Michelle Bullis. “The opportunity to learn, volunteer, and grant real dollars is empowering for youth. This is a great opportunity for them to see that their voice matters. This is a beautiful blend of education, service learning, and positive youth development. We are extremely grateful for the partnership with Magnified Giving to provide Camp Give each year to Brighton Center youth.
“The impact of this experience is long-lasting, and this year’s camp did not disappoint. At the end of the week youth believed that they can do anything, that their opinions and passions are valid, and that when people come together to help and support, change will happen.”
At the end of the week, the campers celebrated their learnings and successes, and awarded the following grants:
• Henry Hosea House, $1,463.15
• Emergency Cold Shelter of Northern Kentucky, $1,372.60
• Frankie’s Furry Friends, $1,178.10
• Angel’s Food Pantry, $1,098.47
Learn more and get involved with Camp Give here.
