Idaho children served by LCSNW enjoy first summer camp adventure

Summer camp may seem like a far-off dream for families without resources for it. Too many kids miss out on this chance to build social-emotional skills, form peer connections, and reduce social isolation outside the school year. They miss a chance to make lifelong memories and have fun outdoors.

At LCSNW, we are helping open the world of summer camp, one family at a time.

This summer, our Idaho team was able to send five children to summer camp in the Sawtooth Mountains. It was made possible through the support of Redeemer Lutheran Church in Boise, plus generous donations to our LCSNW camp fund.

The campers ranged from 8 to 14 years old. Three of the kids are siblings from a family previously served by LCSNW’s Safe Families for Children program in our Boise/ Southwest Idaho District. Our Idaho team served the family while they were unhoused and the mother was going through cancer treatment.

“We are thrilled to share that the family is now housed, and Mom’s cancer treatments were successful,” said Program Supervisor Emily Erickson. “Seeing these children enjoy a week of camp after such a difficult season was especially meaningful.”

“The kids went there with hesitation; they were scared because this was their first time being away from family,” said their mom, Tara. “They didn’t want to go, but they came back with smiles on their faces. I have not seen those smiles in 2 years after all the toll and strain on our family. When they came back, they were glowing—ecstatic!”

LCSNW-Safe Families has partnered with Luther Heights Bible Camp since the summer of 2022. We’ve helped coordinate and distribute camp scholarships to several children and parents, including a refugee father and his four children who attended Luther Heights Family Camp together. 

Local churches and donors in the Safe Families network support the camp experience through financial donations, camp supplies, and transportation to and from camp (a 3 hour drive each way).

LCSNW’s camp scholarship fund helps make summer camp possible for children and families across participating regions, with opportunities at Luther Heights, Lutherhaven and Lutherwood. As support for the scholarship fund grows, so will our ability to connect more children across our communities with these meaningful experiences.