SeriousFun Children’s Network (SCFN) and A&F Co. share an extraordinary partnership that continues to positively impact the lives of children with serious illnesses. Since 2016, our A&F Co. Camp Counselor Program has sent associates to volunteer at SeriousFun camps around the world. Now, we are proud to further this partnership with SCFN through the Mental Health & Wellness Grant Program.
Having launched in 2023, the grant program is open to camps in the global SCFN network and is designed to meet those camps where their mental health needs are. While some camps have established programs—such as Flying Horse Farms, who has a week of camp dedicated to psychosocial help—many camps benefit from this funding to get their programs off the ground or to add additional mental health experts to their staff.
This is a meaningful area of collaboration, combining A&F Co.’s strong commitment to support mental wellness for youth, teens and young adults with SFCN’s dedication to advance mental health programs at their camps.
With A&F Co.’s dedicated $200,000 grant, SFCN oversees a competitive application process for camps to submit funding proposals. The proposals are evaluated by a review board, which includes A&F Co. associates who have expressed interest in volunteering. Eight camps are then awarded grants of $25,000 per program.
Winners of the 2024 grants were just released, and out of the eight camps selected, half are international! Some camps are receiving continued funding for programs that were awarded grants in 2023(*). The 2024 winners are below. Camp names are first, followed by their program titles.
- Bator Tabor (Hungary), Online Hospital Program.
- Camp Boggy Creek (Florida), Behavioral and Mental Health Needs for Staff and Campers and Families.
- Dynamo Camp (Italy), Hikikimori Program and Support for Outreach Staff*.
- Flying Horse Farms (Ohio), Psychosocial Health Initiatives.
- Joran River Village (Israel), Emotional Resiliency and Welfare in Jordan River Village.
- Over the Wall (UK), Improving Volunteer Wellbeing.
- Roundup River Ranch (Colorado), Mental Well-being in our Employee Community & Staff Training Plan.
- The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp (Connecticut), The Residential Bereavement Program*.
