Rep. Case Visits Camp MOE, Kids of Summer Foundation

Photo from left to right: Denise Cohn, Jon Sheaffer, Anna Viner, Camp MOE campers, Feliks Viner, Bill Kennedy, Rep. Jay Case, Michael Menard.

Torrington – State Representative Jay Case (R-Winsted) went to Camp MOE on Friday morning to visit with campers and learn more about the funding needed to help children attend summer programs. During his visit, Rep. Case met with the charity organizers of The Kids of Summer Foundation. This season, the foundation provided funding for 17 separate two-week sessions. According to The Kids of Summer Foundation, campership dollars are sourced from several other organizations in addition to its own contributions, but there is never a shortage of camper applications.

“Summer can be a difficult time for working families here in the Northwest Corner. With busy work schedules and school being out for the summer months, many families must find cost-effective ways to enroll their children in constructive summer programs. Camp MOE provides a positive environment for children to come and engage in, which is extremely contingent of the generosity and hard work put forth by the Kids of Summer Foundation and our other community partners,” said Rep. Case after visiting with campers and walking the grounds.

The Kids of Summer Foundation is looking to reach 5 or 6 more camps across Connecticut next year. Targeted regions include the Farmington valley, Waterbury, and lower Litchfield County.  Families are encouraged to apply directly to the foundation. The application process is geared toward helping working families who may be struggling to make ends meet during the summer months, specifically when childcare expenses tend to increase and stress household budgets. In those instances, the foundation is there to help.

Jon Shaeffer, Co-Chair of The Kids of Summer Foundation, stated, “We want to get children playing and interacting with each other, maybe even dropping their electronics for a while and getting back to the basics. This is a direct impact charity focused on enrolling children into summer camp. We are also expanding our focus to engage with community projects. We would like to work with various communities and help them complete local projects, like constructing new score boards for the town athletic fields, or adding new playgrounds. Partnering with local businesses will help us facilitate that.”

To learn more about The Kids of Summer Foundation, you can visit their website at www.thekidsofsummer.org.

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