May Camper Update

May has just flown by here at the Sunshine Fund office! Applications are coming in just as fast as we can place kids at camp.

These are our placement numbers to date:
Placed Kids: 299
Kids waiting to be placed: 75
Cost of placed kids: $109,262.51

These number are a bit ahead of where we were this time last year, which is great! Our goal is always to place as many kids at camp as we can each summer. However, this comes with challenges as well, the biggest one being our donations.

Right now our average cost per camper is $365.43 so if we want to place 1000 kids we would need $365,430 in donations, which would be more than we've ever received in one summer.

We are also gearing up to start our donor campaign which will get us very close to that donation mark. So if you are looking to hold a workplace fundraiser or just wanting to help us out this summer call 784-1130 and we can work with you to send kids to summer camp.

From all of us at the Sunshine Fund office we hope you have a wonderful and safe May Long Weekend!

Sunshine Fund Update

Wow, April is almost over and that means we are one month closer to summer! Here are our updated numbers for this week:

137- Number of kids placed in camp
$54,669.25 - Cost of camp fees for the children placed
72- Number of kids waiting to be placed in camp

So with the number of kids placed and those waiting we are slightly ahead from 2011 and a bit behind 2010. We hope to have more kids than ever placed this summer, but with that comes the issue of receiving enough donations to make that work. We never like to have a waiting list due to lack of funds or worse, turning families away because we are short on funds.

Help us this year by making a donation. You can call our office Monday to Friday 9am-4:30pm to make a donation. You can also stop by our office at 302-960 Portage Ave in Winnipeg.

Cheers!

Spirng!

Wow! Spring is here and we are already well on our way of placing kids into summer camp. We are also gearing up for some exciting events and campaigns.

First let me tell you about our campers so far this year. We have already placed 103 campers and that number is increasing every day. This puts us ahead of our placement numbers from last year and just a bit behind what we recorded for this time in 2010. We hope to be on track this year to send 1000 kids to camp, which would be one of the best years ever for us in terms of number of kids placed at camp.

However, that too brings challenges. With sending a record number of kids to camp we need a record number of donations this year before summer ends. Last year the average camp fee was approximately $359.81. So, if we want to send 1000 kids to camp we would need a record breaking $359,810.00 donated. Last year we raised $270,216.69 and sent 775 kids to camp.

That's a lot of numbers, but what it comes down to is that we need $89,593.31 more in donations that we had last year. 

This is where we come to you and ask you to help us send more kids than ever to summer camp. We can help you organize office fundraisers, school fundraisers or any other idea that sparks your interest. Call our office (204-784-1130) and our Program Coordinator Janis will be happy to discuss how we can help you organize an event.


Camp Caravan
Now onto our annual Camp Caravan. This year we will be at Kildonan Place on April 14 & 15 during mall hours. We want you to come and visit with us, and the camps that come with us. There are so many camps and we want to help you find just the right one for your child.

You will also be able to pick up Sunshine Fund applications and ask any questions you have about our program.


Our Social Media
 
We have branched out and now have a Facebook page and a Twitter account! We want you to like us and continue the conversation on  Facebook and Twitter. You can 'Like' us on Facebook HERE and add us on Twitter from our username SunshineFundMB

P.S I Love It Here-Kids Letters From Camp

As some of  you may know, the Sunshine Fund has published a book! This is very exciting for us because it has been an idea in our office for a long time, and it finally happened.

The book is called "P.S I Love It Here-Kids Letters From Camp" and is filled with the letters we get every summer from children who want to go to back to camp or go for the first time.

We were very lucky to have a Red River College student work on the project for us. Her name is Brittany May and she was so great to work with on this! Brittany did an amazing job of designing and laying out the book for us, she had to sift through so many letters and photos to decide which ones to include.

A snapshot from inside P.S I Love It Here-Kids Letters From Camp

Before we talk more about the book we just want to thank Brittany May so much for all her hard work, many hours, and always enthusiasm  during the past year. With out Brittany, our book would not be as amazing as it is.

Brittany also put on a book launch for us at McNally Robinson here in Winnipeg. The book launch was fantastic and we thank everyone who came out to support us.

P.S I love It Here-Kids Letters From Camp display at McNally Robinson on Grant

So now, more about the book and why we published one. It's pretty simple actually, we want everyone to know what camp means to the children we send. Summer camp means something different to every one, but one thing that is true for all kids, is that camp is fun, and that's why they want to keep going.

Camp is an opportunity for kids to learn new skills, become more confident and independent, but all they  know is that they are having fun!

P.S I Love It Here-Kids Letters From Camp is available at our office for $20 or at McNally in the Grant Park Shopping Mall.

Call our office if you are interested in picking up a copy today (204) 784-1130.


 Camp 2012
With summer camp just around the corner we are working hard on placing kids into camp, and have already place 20 with lots more on the way! As always we rely heavily on the great support from the community and this year is no different. So we continue to ask for you support so we can send every child that applies to camp.

If you want to host a 3rd party fundraiser in support of the Sunshine Fund at work, school or your community please call our program coordinator Janis (204-784-1130) and together we can help you find just the right fundraiser!

Camp is Coming!

I know, it's only January and summer seems so far away. Well, it's not! Summer is creeping up and we are getting ready for it here at the Sunshine Fund. We are working on getting our 2012 applications ready so you can start applying and get the spot you want for your children.

While you wait for us to get our application ready, you can start getting all your documents ready too. This will make your application process go faster and seamlessly.


What we need you to send in:
1. Camp Application
We need you to send in a completed camp application with your Sunshine Fund application so we can hold that spot at the camp for your child.

2. Income Verification
Income verification means we need your 2011 Income Tax statement. We need Line 150 we we can verify your total income. If you do not have your 2011 Income Tax statement back by the time you wish to apply please call our office for other options of verification. Our phone number is 204-784-1130.

3. Manitoba Health Card
We need a copy of your MB Health Card to verify that you and your child are both residents of Manitoba and to confirm how many people live at the same address as you. 

4. Parent Contribution
We do not have the new chart for the 2012 parent application so this part will have to wait until our applications come out.


5. Letter
We would love it if you and your child sat down and wrote us a letter saying why they want to go to camp and if they have been before why they love going to camp. We love to share these letters with the donors of the Sunshine Fund (all while keeping the identity of the child and family anonymous.) to increase our donations and to show everyone the real impact the Sunshine Fund has.

So this is what you need to apply for funding. If you have any questions please call our office, we are open Monday to Friday 9-4:30pm.

Also please note that our 2012 application will be available for download on our website mbcamping.ca and if you applied last year we will send you one by the end of January. If you did not apply last year please call us with your mailing address.

204-784-1130

Happy New Year

Happy New Year!

This year on the Sunshine Fund blog we want to share real camp stories with you. We want you to hear how camp has impacted the lives of the kids that have gone there, some are now grown up and have also worked at camp, some are kids looking forward to going again this summer and some are parents who are sending their own children to camp to have the experiences they've had. We will call these posts Camp Fire Stories, so keep an eye out for this new series on our blog.

If you want to contribute your own story on how camp has changed your life or your child's life, please email us at sunshinefund@mbcamping.ca. We would love to hear from you!

We are also gearing up for Summer 2012 here in the office. Our new applications will be available by the end of January. If you want to receive one please call our office at 204-784-1130 so we can mail one out to you. If you applied last year an application will automatically be sent to you when they are ready. We will also have a downloadable copy on our website mbcamping.ca 

Speaking of our website, we had it updated so go take a look mbcamping.ca . We are still updating it so please be patient as we get all our information up there.

Camp Arnes, year unknown.

Friday's Friend: December 2nd, 2011

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What you need when you apply - Custody Agreements

I told you  last week I would go over what was needed if you are a parent applying for your child, but you do not have primary care and control.

First of all we always want the primary parents to apply for the child. This makes the whole process go smoothly for several reasons. The first being that we need the child's primary parent's financial information for the application.

We realize that this is not always possible so in the case that you do not have primary care and control we need several things.


1. Custody agreement
We need to go over your custody agreement so we can verify which parent has care and control of the child. Once we determine that the parent applying does not have primary care and control we ask for number 2.


2. Written permission
We then ask for written permission from the parent with primary care and control allowing the other parent to send the child to summer camp. We would also ask for this parent's financial information, if the custody agreement leads us to ask, if not we will take the parent's who is applying.

If the parent with primary care and control does not consent permission to allow the child to attend camp we will have to further review the custody agreement to see what control each parent has during their visitation days. If it does not allow the non primary parent to send the child, unfortunately we can not send the child.

Foster children are not eligible for Sunshine Fund funding because they have funds available to them through their agency for recreational activities. If your child is a foster child please contact your child's agency to arrange a summer camp experience.

The best way to know what you need when sending your child to camp is to call or email our office and inform us of your family's needs so we can work together to send your child to summer camp.

Contact us at 204-784-1130 or email sunshinefund at mbcamping dot ca

Friday's Friend: November 25th, 2011

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What you need when you apply - Health Card

Today we are going to tell more about the information you need to submit when applying to the Sunshine Fund. A few weeks ago we told you in more detail what we need in terms of financial information. You can read that post HERE.

Another piece of information we need sent in is your Manitoba Health Card. Ideally your health card should have all people living in your house on it. This would be you and your spouse (if applicable) and all your children.

However this is often not the case. Often parents have a child that is 18 or older living in their house and then not on the health card, or they have their parents living in the house.

When this is the case, we need everyone's health card sent in. That means we need the child who is over 18 or the parents.

If your child who is wanting to go to camp is not living in your house or on your health card, we need to have the child's health card and proof of guardianship. Only the parent who has custody of the child may apply for the Sunshine Fund (unless we have special written permission from the custodial parent of the child).

Why do we need your Manitoba Health Card?
We need your Manitoba Health Card because we need to verify how many people live in your house. We need to know how many people live in your house to properly assess your income status and ultimately your eligibility for the Sunshine Fund.

Hopefully this information has helped you, if not please leave us a comment and we will answer any questions you have. You can also email sunshinefund@mbcamping.ca.

Next week we will tell you what steps to take if you do not have custody of your child but still want to send them to camp.

Friday's Friend: November 18th, 2011

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Camp Arnes

About Camp Arnes
Camp Arnes is a year round camp, conference and retreat center located on the western shore of magnificent Lake Winnipeg. We offer a beautiful, natural backdrop for all sorts of experiences ranging from adventure summer camps for youth to outdoor education for school and weekend group retreats; our property is also available for rental through our booking department.

Summer is one of our most exciting times. We offer a variety of camps for youth ages 6-17; general sleepover camps, day camp, horse camp, paintball camp and several high school programs. Our activities include but are not limited to high ropes course, zip line, canoes, kayaks, archery, arts and crafts, camp fires and chapel times.

Statement of Goals
 Camp Arnes is an inter-denominations Christian camp, committed to presenting opportunities for children and youth, to experience an unforgettable adventure while hearing the message of Jesus Christ.  We endeavor to do this by providing an exceptional environment, character and leadership development, recreation, and a respect for the world around us. 

Activities
High ropes course
Zip line
Canoes
Kayaks
Archery
Arts and crafts
Camp fires
Chapel times

Contact Informaiton
Box 28009 RPO NK
Winnipeg, MB
(204) 338-4647
registrar@camparnes.com

What you need when you apply - Financial Information

There are several documents you will need to submit when applying for funding. I am going to go through each one in a different post as to not overwhelm you with information.

The fist and most important document (besides the Sunshine Fund application) is your financial information. This could be any one of the following documents:

- Your income tax return from the previous year
- Your budget letter from the government of Manitoba
- 4 of your most recent pay stubs

We need these documents for everyone living in the house making money, so either both parents, any aunts, uncles or grandparents living in the house.

Why do we need these documents?
We need these financial documents to determine your eligibility for funding. We base our funding on level of income and if you exceed that level you will not receive funding. 

These documents above provide us with the most official, accurate account of your income.

We do not share your financial information with anyone outside the Sunshine Fund office unless approved by the person with whose information needs to be shared. 

If you have any questions about what financial information you need to provide please leave us a comment or contact us at (204)784-1130.

Stay tuned for more information on documents you need to submit.

EDIT * IF YOU OWN YOUR OWN BUSINESS OR FARM YOU NEED TO SUPPLY A T2125, T2042 AS THEY APPLY TO YOU*

Why Camp?

Here at the Sunshine Fund and Manitoba Camping Association, we believe every child should have the opportunity to attend summer camp. We believe in it so much we raise money from private donors to make sure kids who want to go but can't afford it get that chance.

So why should your child experience summer camp? There are many reasons, let me tell you some:

1. Getting to experience nature

Photo Source

Most of the children that go to summer camps are from urban centers, they don't get to experience lakes, canoeing, forests and other aspects of nature unless they go to a camp.

At many camps, children get the chance to swim in a lake, or go canoeing, and some camps have nature instruction. Kids can learn about nature first hand  by going on nature walks or living on an island for a week.

Also, let's face it, being in nature and outside can be a whole lot better than sitting inside on the couch playing video games. 


2. Gain confidence and independence

Photo Source

Kids can learn to be more independent from their parents while at camp in many ways. First of all they are sleeping away from home for a week. This can often cause homesickness for a day or two but then the child learns that it's okay and safe to sleep away from home.

While at camp kids will also experience activities they have never done before. By participating in these activities kids will grow confident in their own abilities and strength. This can often carry on in other areas of their life such as school and home life.

3. Learn new skills

Photo Source

Like I said above, at camp kids will try new activities. These activities can initiate new skills that a child never knew they had or wanted to pursue. For example maybe a child learns they really enjoy swimming and want to join a swim team. Or their cabin did a dance at the camp talent show and your child really took to it fast.Your child could have also recited a poem or verse for their cabin and discovered they love public speaking or that it wasn't as hard as they thought.

There are so many skills your child can learn at camp.

Your child can benefit in many ways by going to camp, this is why we want them to go. 

Frequently Asked Questions

At the Sunshine Fund we help hundreds of families every year who are in a financial hard spot. We also know that there are so many different situations out there and no two families are alike. That is why we have complied this Frequently Asked Questions list to help you when applying.
 

Where can I get an application?

You can get on from our website mbcamping.ca our Facebook Page Facebook.com/sunshinefundmb or you can call us and we can mail or email one to you. (204)784-1130.

How much will it cost me to send my child to camp?

Sending your child to camp through the Sunshine Fund will only cost you the parent contribution (a percentage of the camp cost based on your income). Also the Sunshine Fund only funds a maximum amount per child, so if your child's session is over that amount you will be responsible for rest.

Where do I send in my application?

When you have completed your application and have all the required documents, send it to our office. You can fax it to (204) 784-4177, email it to sunshinefund@mbcamping.ca. You can also mail your application to:

Sunshine Fund

302-960 Portage ave

Winnipeg, MB R3G 0R4

What do I need to send in with my application?

You need to send in: 

Your child's camp registration form,

Income verification (tax summary, pay stubs, or budget letter) EDIT*** you also need to supply your T1, T2125, T2042 if applicable***

Manitoba Health Card (with the child's name on it)

Parent contribution (cash, cheque, Visa or Mastercard)

A letter or drawing from your child stating why they want to go to camp

What camp is best for my child? 

The best camp for your child is the camp that fits their needs. We have almost 40 different camps so it is hard for us to choose which camp is best. If you are having a hard time deciding, pick up our camp directory and research our camps. 

What can my child expect at camp?
This depends on the camp your child goes to. Each camp has various activities your child will engage in each day. These activities can include canoeing, swimming, horseback riding, crafts among other things. The best way to know what your child can expect at camp is to contact the camp and ask about their daily schedule for your child's session.

My child has special medical needs; can they still go to camp?
Yes! Our camps are equipped to help your child with their medial needs. Each camp has a nurse on site at all times to distribute medications and anything else your child might need. To better understand how the camp can help your child with their medical needs, call the camp.

I have dietary concerns for my child while at camp, how do I sort that out?
Call the camp your child is attending, they can help you work out any dietary concerns you have for your child.

My child has never been to camp before, what is a good ‘starter’ camp?
This depends on your child. You know your child best so you will know if they are okay going for a week-long over night-camp, or if they would do better in a day camp setting. No one camp is a better 'starter' camp. Talk to your child about how they feel about going over-night, what activities they like and how far from home they want to be.

Can my child go to a non-religious camp?
Yes, if you don't want your child to go to a religious based camp they have a few options. They are Camp Wannkumbac, Camp Y, Camp Stephens, and Mini U day camp. 

Do you fund support workers?
No we do not, we only fund children under 18 years old. This means we also do not fund parents for family camps.

I just got a new job; do I still qualify for funding?
If you just got a new job after being unemployed for awhile you can possibly qualify for funding. We will need to see your current pay stubs for your new job. We base funding on your gross yearly income. This means if your new job's gross yearly income is more than our qualifications you may not be funded. If this is the case for you, submit your application and we will work with you to figure out a solution for your family.

How do I determine my income if I own my own business?
If you own your own business we will need to see a yearly breakdown of your business expenses and revenues. Each business varies, for more help call our office.

I can’t afford the parent contribution, can I still apply?
Yes you can still apply. If you can not afford your parent contribution we can work out a payment schedule that fits your budget. We will work with you to ensure your child can go to camp.

I don’t live in MB but my child wants to go to an MB camp, will you fund them?
Unfortunately no, the Sunshine Fund is for children who live in Manitoba Only. If you want to see if your province offers funding help search your local camping association.

What if I don’t have custody of my children (or have shared custody)?
If you do not have custody of your children we need the adult who does have custody to apply for the children. The adult who has custody is the person we base approval on, so we need their financial information too.

If you have shared custody and primary care and control you can apply for you child with your financial information. We might require the other adult's financial information too.

If you have shared custody but not primary care and control we will need approval from the adult with primary care and control. We might also need their financial information.

My child is also being funded for camp through another agency; can we still apply for the Sunshine Fund?
If your child is being funded by an other organization, or person they can not qualify for Sunshine Funds. We want to ensure that every Manitoba child gets the opportunity to attend summer camp. This means if we fund that child for another session, a child who does not have the chance through another agency or family can't go at all.






If you have any more questions about the Sunshine Fund, how to apply, qualifications or your financial situation please contact our office. You can call our office at (204) 784-1130, email us at sunshinefund@mbcmaping.ca or drop by to Room 302 960 Portage Ave in Winnipeg.

Friday's Friend: October 21st, 2011

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May 21, 2008 is Sunshine Day

On May 21, 2008, the Winnipeg Free Press Sunshine Fund, in partnership with A&W, will have it’s very first Sunshine Day in Manitoba. All the proceeds from the sale of A&W Root Beer and Coffee will be donated to the Sunshine Fund to help send Manitoba Children to Manitoba Accredited Camps.

In addition, you can also help send a child to camp by purchasing a Ray of Sunshine from A&W Restaurants for only $1 between May 12-21. Fill your name out on a Yellow Sun and help send a child to camp. This sun will be added to the walls of the Restaurant.

This will be happening at all A&W locations in Winnipeg, Selkirk, Lockport, Portage & Steinbach.

PS - Did you know that Manitoba is the only province in the country to have a "Sunshine Fund?" Founded in 1979 and thanks to the generous donations of Manitobans the fund has raised nearly $4.0 million dollars and sent more than 18,000 kids to camp.

MCA To Attend Weekend Exhibit Fairs

The MCA & Sunshine Fund will be setting up a display booth at the Portage Home, Leisure & Sport Expo event this Friday (6:00 p.m.-9:00 p.m.) & Saturday (9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.) at the Portage Canad Inn Warehouse.

On Sunday, we will be attending the 2007 Winnipeg Parent Family Fun & Learning Fair. This will be held from 10:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. at the Assiniboine Park Conservatory.

Come check out all the action, pick up your 2007 Camp Directory, or obtain information on the Sunshine Fund.

2006 Stats

In 2006 the Sunshine Fund did the following:

• Placed 569 children in 26 different camps
  
• of those 569 children 245 or 43.06% were new to the Sunshine Fund
  
• paid out $173,000.00 in camperhips
  

Let's see if we can't top those numbers in the 2007 season!

Sunshine Fund gets a blog.

This is the new home of the Manitoba Camping Association/Winnipeg Free Press Sunshine Fund Blog.

The Sunshine Fund enables Manitoba children who do not have the financial means through parents, guardians or agencies, an opportunity to attend an accredited Manitoba summer camp.

The Sunshine Fund is administered by the Manitoba Camping Association with publicity sponsorship from the Winnipeg Free Press. 100% of donations are used directly for payment of camp fees.

Since 1979 over 3 million dollars has been raised to provide over 14,000 summer camp experiences.