Girl Scouts of Central Illinois has landed a competitive three-year, $90,000 grant from Girl Scouts of the USA that will send girls facing financial and social barriers to overnight summer camp — many, if not all, for the first time.
The Girl Scouts of Central Illinois [GSCI] council was one of just seven selected out of more than 70 that applied nationwide, said Sara Tate, GSCI's director of programs and camp.
"We are working with facilities like the [Peoria] Dream Center and having that opportunity for girls that typically would not be going to camp to have that chance and not have to worry about the financial burden," Tate said.
Each of the seven councils selected is using the grant differently, Tate said, depending on what their communities need most.
"Some of the locations, like in Alaska, I thought was really cool, because they're really working on the facility and making sure that it's a facility that can be used for overnight camp," Tate said.
"It kind of varies council by council on what they're doing with this grant, but the primary focus [in Peoria] is really trying to get those underserved girls to overnight camp."
For GSCI, that meant centering the program on inclusion, a focus Tate said hasn't wavered even as diversity and equity initiatives have come under pressure nationally.
"We want to make sure every girl has the opportunity," Tate said. "We have a lot of girls in our community that want to be a part of Girl Scouts, but they might not have the means to do it. We want them to be able to have that Girl Scout experience and learn new things and feel like they're really part of the community as well."
Getting to camp
The grant will fund a new partnership with Dream Center Peoria, an organization GSCI already works with through its community outreach programming.
This summer, 20 girls will attend for free Camp Tapawingo, the council's overnight camp near Metamora, with the program set to double in size next year and expand to additional community partners by year three.
The grant covers full camp tuition, along with gear — sleeping bags, pillows, sunscreen, bug spray, flashlights, backpacks and water bottles. Families will also get transportation to and from camp, so parents can take part in both drop-off and pickup.
Tate said that full-family involvement matters because getting parents comfortable with the idea of overnight camp can be the biggest hurdle.
Many of the girls selected for the program already participate in GSCI's outreach programming at the Dream Center and have taken part in the council's cookie sales, where camp trips are sometimes offered as an incentive. Tate said the equestrian program at Camp Tapawingo — a rare offering in the region — has long been a particular draw.
"That piece that we really felt like they were missing was that camp experience," Tate said. "So we wanted to bring that to them as well, so they get that full Girl Scout experience."
Camp Tapawingo offers a range of themed sessions for girls to choose from, Tate said, including an equestrian program, a wizardry-themed week and a "major messiness" session, along with a more relaxed option built around extra pool time. Girls looking for more adventure can sign up for the camp's challenge course, which includes high and low ropes, a zip line and a rock wall, as well as archery and canoeing. Some sessions let campers sample a little of everything.
Selection for this year's grant recipient cohort is first-come, first-served, and information was given to girls already being served in the Dream Center outreach group first.
Tate said the council will track outcomes through pre- and post-camp surveys, data she hopes will help attract long-term donors to sustain and expand the model once the three-year grant ends.
"Being able to show that this was an impactful experience for these girls that would not typically have this experience is going to be amazing," Tate said.
Tate said watching the girls transform is one of her favorite parts of working for Girl Scouts.
"You'll see that some of these campers are so nervous, especially if it's their first time," Tate said. "And then seeing them that drop off day, and then pick up day, it's like a completely different child. They've built up this confidence, they've made new friends, they've tried all these great new experiences."
GSCI also offers existing camp scholarships for families who qualify for free or reduced lunch, available through GetYourGirlPower.org, regardless of whether a girl is enrolled in a traditional Girl Scout troop.
