Camp JORI expands its motto to philanthropic endeavors

There’s a certain expression that is floating around on Worden’s Pond in Wakefield –  T.a.C.E.O., or Taking Care of Each Other. That’s the motto of Camp JORI, a thriving summer home for children from all over the country that provides a safe and supportive setting for campers to create life-long connections with the Jewish community.

Director Ronni Saltzman Guttin and Assistant Director Rachel Mersky Woda have extended the T.a.C.E.O motto from the way the staff and campers treat each other to include philanthropic endeavors. Approximately 35-40 percent of Camp JORI families receive financial aid each summer that allows their children to experience Jewish summer camp. Camp JORI scholarships range from about $400-$1,800 per session, though occasionally, a family with serious financial and societal need is awarded more. Studies, such as those done by the Foundation for Jewish Camp, have shown that children who go to Jewish camp are more involved in Judaism as adults. For example, children who attend Jewish Camp are 30 percent more likely to donate to a Jewish charity and 37 percent more likely to light Shabbat candles.

Based upon an allocation of $35,000 in the past two years, the Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island has supported a substantial number of campers. Camp JORI has awarded approximately $300,000 in scholarships in each of the past several years. Many JORI families would be unable to afford a Jewish summer camping experience without the financial assistance provided by JORI and the Jewish Alliance. It is part of Camp JORI’s mission to ensure that families receive the necessary scholarship to make this happen.

In one long-time JORI family, the grandmother provides a home and child care for her two grandsons on a daily basis throughout the school year. She considers a Jewish education and connection to the community to be essential for their growth. Her daughter is unable to sustain her family without help, and the grandmother registers the children for camp each year and pays for the portion that she can afford. JORI provides the remainder of the tuition assistance. In recent years, Camp JORI has been the summer home for children of several military families. Each of them is able to support their families while living frugally, but unable afford to provide summer camp for their children. This summer, one of JORI’s military families will have two children at camp and this will provide essential child care while the mother completes her military training out-of-state.

Camp JORI serves all affiliations, including those families who are unaffiliated and do not participate in any part of the Jewish community until they come to camp. Many of those families have begun to join other groups in the Jewish community as a result of their camp experience, just as many JORI campers find their Jewish community at camp. Many campers join youth groups with their camp friends, begin to celebrate Shabbat with family and friends, and make use of the ceremonial and home objects that they create at camp, such as mezuzot and Shabbat candle holders. Campers enjoy the strong performing arts program that JORI offers, sailing on the waterfront and are even able to receive their lifeguard certification through the swim program.

“JORI’s major strength is taking care of each and every camper, and being in a loving environment where long-lasting friendships are made.” These words are consistently heard among JORI families, furthering the motto of T.a.C.E.O. With the help of the Jewish Alliance, Camp JORI has been able to hone their other strengths, such as “fostering a fun and inclusive environment” and “creating a camp community with Jewish values where kids can make friends, develop close connections with counselors and develop important life skills such as independence, self-advocacy and solving problems.” However, Camp JORI still wants to be able to reach its full potential, and could do so much more with more campers and more dollars. For more information about this summer and to sign your child up for JORI, contact Ronni Saltzman Guttin at campjori@gmail.com.

HILLARY SCHULMAN is a development associate in philanthropy for the Jewish Alliance.