As we reflect on everything we were able to accomplish in 2020, despite it being a very unusual year, one of the things we are most proud of is starting the Charlie’s Heart Foundation Grant Program. This is something we’ve dreamed of doing since we first founded this organization, and to be able to give to nonprofits across the world doing great work was so fulfilling.
This year has been difficult for everyone, of course, but especially so for nonprofits, who are seeing a greater need for their services but also seeing fewer donations and volunteers due to the pandemic and its effects on the economy.
We received so many incredible applications for our first year of the grant program, and it was difficult to narrow it all down to the nine organizations that were ultimately chosen. You can read more about the application and our selection process here.
One of those grant winners was Camp to Belong – Georgia. We specifically were looking for organizations that aligned with our mission of keeping families together through tough times, and boy does Camp to Belong fit that bill.
Camp to Belong reunites siblings who have been separated through foster care or other out-of-home care so they don’t lose touch. They offer year-round events and summer camps, including their flagship week-long summer camp that unites siblings and allows them to create memories they’re unable to create otherwise. Since they first started in Georgia in 2008, they’ve served over 800 kids.
The camp is located in Camp Twin Lakes, another grant winner this year, and is free for campers to attend. This means they rely heavily on donations and sponsors to make it all happen. They also rely heavily on volunteers; it takes over 400 volunteers and 60,000 hours of volunteer work to support everything that happens at Camp to Belong.
We love what Camp to Belong does in Georgia to ensure siblings get to spend fun and loving time together. We loved seeing the bond between Charlie and Ellie, and we still love seeing the bond Ellie and Causby are creating and nurturing as they grow older, so their mission really hit home with us.
With the funds they received from the Charlie’s Heart Foundation Grant Program, Camp to Belong will be maintaining contact with campers throughout the year, keeping volunteers engaged, and facilitating some of their year-round events that bring siblings together.
We’re so proud to be supporting Camp to Belong and all they do. To learn more and make your own donation, head to their website: https://www.camptobelong-ga.org.
