Change a Life: Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Change a Life Fund?

The Change a Life Fund is an opportunity to give directly to the many children who will benefit from the camp experience but whose families may not otherwise be able to afford either day camp or resident camp for their children.

To which camp will Change a Life Fund contributions be distributed?

The program has been launched in five regional areas of the country: Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, and New York City. Camps in these areas that are accredited by ACA are eligible for consideration and, this first year, will be selected by ACA at the regional level. In the future, regional parent and volunteer committees will help make these funding decisions.

How will the children who benefit from the Change a Life Fund be selected?

ACA has teamed up with grassroots volunteer committees to identify children in need and select the recipients of Change a Life camp scholarships.

Why concentrate on children from financially disadvantaged backgrounds?

Every child to some extent experiences summer learning loss, which is the result of the lack of organized learning during the summer that causes some information and skills learned during the school year to be lost. Children whose families are not struggling financially have more opportunity to participate in camp and other educational programs during the summer that will help their minds stay sharp and retain more of what they learned during the school year. We believe children whose families are financially disadvantaged should have the same opportunity.

In addition, Change a Life camp scholarships help children from financially disadvantaged backgrounds to constructively learn independence and safe risk-taking, build essential mentor relationships, and reap the benefits of connecting with nature.

What kinds of camps can participate in ACA’s Change a Life Fund camp scholarship program, private camps or agency camps?

Participating camps must be nonprofit and accredited by ACA.

What kinds of camp programs are eligible for participation in the Change a Life Fund program?

Both resident camps and day camps in participating regional areas are eligible to take part in the program and play a crucial role in changing the lives of children in need.

Are there plans to expand the program to other camps in regions of the country not currently included?

As the Change a Life Fund grows each year, ACA will broaden participation to other regions until we are able to include camps and serve children across the entire country.

How can you be sure that 82 cents of every dollar contributed will go directly to send a child in need to camp?

Contributions made to the Change a Life Fund are audited annually and the expenditures are tracked carefully according to general accounting principles.