Summer is upon us and that means that the Village of Hope campus will be full of children with days free from school.  Nearly 38 percent of the residents currently living at the Village of Hope are children.  This is more than one-third of the Rescue Mission’s population and something that we can’t take lightly.
Orange County Rescue Mission is in immediate need of the community’s help to fund its annual children’s summer program, “Summer to Remember,” a comprehensive nine week camp for homeless children living at the Village of Hope, a transitional living facility for homeless individuals and families. This year, the donations for the program are at an all-time low, and the Rescue Mission is seeking support from the community to ensure that no child is left behind.
This unique program is designed for school aged children between the ages of 5 and 12, and provides opportunities to grow intellectually, socially and emotionally through hands-on learning activities and field trips. Since the program was started in 2011, it has served countless young children at the Village of Hope and features activities that include academics, social engagements, recreation, sports, and fine arts, among many others.

Summer programs for homeless children are extremely important.  As a result of their chaotic life experiences, these children often face many disadvantages including social and mental obstacles, and are twice as likely to have a learning disability or repeat a grade. We as a community cannot continue to overlook these children. Let’s give them this opportunity to learn, improve their math and reading skills, and be prepared for a successful 2017-18 school year!
The weekly cost to send one of the 45 children to summer camp is $75.00, and with the support of the local community, each child at Village of Hope can have a “Summer to Remember.”
These children are the innocent victims of the harsh reality of homelessness and providing them with the necessary tools to fuel their growth is pertinent to their future success. The children living at the Village of Hope look forward to this program every summer, and we don’t want to let them down this year.

Please donate now at rescuemission.org/summer-to-remember/

to give a child a Summer to Remember!