Give the Gift of Camp
At Thunderbird, we are fortunate to partner with two foundations: Camp Thunderbird Charitable Foundation and the John Austin Cheley Foundation. Each is a separate entity, and both support our endeavor to provide a Thunderbird experience to deserving underserved and underprivileged campers. Camperships are awarded annually through an application process that is based on financial need, merit and school citizenship. If you have questions about eligibility, please call our office.
Please consider making a donation to help qualifying campers attend Thunderbird or other designated camp experiences. Donations may be made through the foundation websites.
The Camp Thunderbird Charitable Foundation
The Foundation was established by a group of individuals who attended Camp Thunderbird for Boys in its first season (1947). Knowing the value and rewarding experiences of a summer at camp, these Thunderbird alumni wished to foster and promote similar experiences for other children. Thus the Speedy and Honey Altman Memorial Camp Foundation was established to provide funding for underprivileged kids to attend summer camp.
Today, the organization is called the Camp Thunderbird Charitable Foundation, and its mission is to make it possible for more children to attend summer camp by providing financial assistance to not-for-profit camps to enable them to provide positive experiences for their campers, and by subsidizing camp tuition for Camp Thunderbird campers who otherwise would not have the means to attend camp. To learn more about the two funds:
With the help of generous donations, children at Camp Thunderbird and other camps throughout the country are building life skills just as you did when you attended camp. We believe very strongly that this experience is expanding their horizons, increasing their self-esteem and giving them a more positive sense of self-worth. Help us continue this endeavor by donating to the Camp Thunderbird Charitable Foundation today.
Alliance with the John Austin Cheley Foundation
Camp Thunderbird is an Associate Camp of the John Austin Cheley Foundation, a public charity committed to changing kids’ lives through transformative summer camp experiences. Our partnership began in 2013 and in that time has provided full camperships for more than 50 young boys and girls from across the U.S to attend camp, creating lasting memories and positively impacting their lives. Through a national network of volunteer recruiters and youth mentoring partnerships, the foundation identifies highly motivated kids whose family circumstances mean that a Thunderbird experience is out of reach financially. They match them with adult mentors to prepare them to get the very most out of their time at camp and share the growth and development that a summer at Thunderbird provides. And crucially, we partner to provide this opportunity to these kids for not just one summer, but for as long as they wish to continue to come to camp – maximizing the long-term positive impact of camp for each of them.
Working together to support kids from all types of backgrounds we are able to create a rich and diverse community at camp that benefits us all.
Visit the John Austin Cheley Foundation to learn about our work together and the campership opportunities that are available.
