Escape from º£½ÇÉçÇø¹ÙÍøsometimes means escape in Toronto.
For a lot of kids, summer in the city means urban camps where schools stand in for the rural environment of typical countryside activities: pools for ponds, gyms for meadows, classrooms for cabins.
The Star’s Fresh Air Fund has got that covered. If the air isn’t bracingly fresh with off-the-lake breezes and woodland scents, the sounds of laughter ring the same, the enjoyment is just as keen, and the life skills absorbed are equally instructional.
“If I was at home, I’d only be playing video games,’’ says Tazari, 10.
“I’d be watching TV all day,’’ says Aksha, 10.
“Sitting at home is boring,’’ says Nishanth, 14. “Here, there’s baseball and soccer. I’m even learning computer coding. And I’ve made lots of new friends.’’
They’re all youngsters attending camp at David and Mary Thomson Collegiate Institute, in the near-wilds of Scarborough, amid the sprawl of suburbia. This is but one of 14 schools involved in the program in a partnership between the Jays Care FoundationÌý— specifically the six-week RBI Summer EditionÌý— and the º£½ÇÉçÇø¹ÙÍøDistrict School Board, supported by the Fresh Air Fund.
For the second year in a row, and almost doubling the number of schools participating from 2023, the undertaking is focused on “priority’’ neighbourhoods in highest-need patches of Toronto. Kids from working-class families, immigrant families, new arrival familiesÌý— students in Grades 3 to 8, with 700 youth staff hired from surrounding areas.
It’s a two-pronged approach, with kids attending summer school for half a day, then camp on the premises for the second half.Ìý
“The TDSB runs the summer school across the city for primary and middle school students for kids who struggle with the ‘summer slide’Ìý— falling behind in school,’’ explains Jules Porter, program director for Jays Care. “But they’re only half-day programs, so a lot of parents are reticent to sign their kids up if they don’t have something for them to do for the second half of the day. With this program, kids are able to come to summer school and catch up, but they also stay for the full day and participate in really fun, robust programs.’’
Across the country, Jays Care operates partnership programs for up to 72,000 kids, aimed particularly, says Porter, at young people “facing barriers,†where teachers and counsellors are trained to run “superinclusive, trauma-informed baseball programs.â€
All of it, for obvious reasons, including at this school, is somewhat baseball-centric, though activities include other sports, arts and crafts and theatre, along with wide-ranging developmental initiatives and recreational activities that take into account the fact that many students, along with their parents, are still learning to speak English. “We try to really help those kids who are newcomers start to feel like school is a place where they can relax a little bit,’’ Porter says.
The “cabins’’Ìý— groupingsÌý— are named for Blue Jays players. Pitcher Chris Bassitt has been especially and enthusiastically involved, meeting with the kids and making a donation to Jays Care with every game he pitches and the team wins. “Almost $375,000 so far,’’ says Porter, “which is awesome.’’
Adam Shulman, program manager for RBI Summer Edition, points out another basic fact about participating families. “At a base level, it’s free child chare. The adults in their lives have to work. But while the kids are getting a boost in their academics, they’re also exposed to sports and other fun activities.’’
Meanwhile, the counsellors are obtaining skills that will be useful in future endeavours, as they progress through high school, into college and university. Muhammad Ahmed, for one, will be entering McMaster University in the fall with plans to become a pediatrician. “This was my way of seeing whether I really do like working with kids,’’ says the 18-year-old. “And I do!’’
The º£½ÇÉçÇø¹ÙÍøStar’s Fresh Air Fund is now into its 123rd year, with tens of thousands of kids having benefitted across the many decades. It all began as the brainstorm of publisher Joseph Atkinson, himself the son of a single mother. Atkinson appealed to readers to help underprivileged children escape the city by providing funds for picnics and excursions. From there, the Fresh Air Fund has grown exponentially, building on the donations of compassionate readers.
“We’re so grateful for the Fresh Air Fund,’’ Porter says. “This is a tough program to run. Not a ton of folks are super-enthusiastic about funding day camps in priority neighbourhoods. It’s just a hard sell. But it’s been amazing to be able to offer it.’’
The º£½ÇÉçÇø¹ÙÍøStar Fresh Air Fund
GOAL:Ìý$650,000
How to donate:
With your gift, the Fresh Air Fund can help send thousands of kids to camp. These children will get to take part in a camp experience they will cherish for a lifetime.
Online:
To donate by Visa, Mastercard or Amex use our secure form at
By cheque:
Mail to The º£½ÇÉçÇø¹ÙÍøStar Fresh Air Fund, 8 Spadina Ave., Toronto, ON M5V 0S8
By phone:ÌýCall 647-250-8282
Tax receipts will be issued.
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