The Bishops' Fund for Children
Giving children experiences that last a lifetime...
Clarence Coleridge, Bishop of the Episcopal Church in Connecticut (1993 – 1998) created the Bishops’ Fund for Children in 1994 to ease the plight of children at risk within the state of Connecticut. The primary mission of the BFC was to provide funds for church related, not for profit organizations, providing programs that supported efforts to promote resilience to children at risk. In addition, the BFC provided the opportunity to provide prayerful support for children at risk.
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Initial funding for the Bishops’ Fund for Children was provided by a directed fund-raising effort conducted by the Diocese of Connecticut. Subsequent funds were raised annually through the St. Nicholas campaign. In addition, an annual Bishops 5K for kids was held each spring, utilizing over seventy volunteers, to raise funds to for the operation of the Bishops’ Fund for Children. During its' first 20 years, over $1,000,000 in funding was provided to over one hundred and fifty not for profit organizations to support resilience in children at risk within the state of Connecticut.
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In 2016, the Bishops’ Fund for Children entered into a new and exciting relationship with Camp Washington, The Episcopal Church in Connecticut’s camp and retreat center. In this new era your ongoing support combined with programming provided by Camp Washington enables us to make a positive difference in the lives of children.​
The Bishops’ Fund for Children continues its commitment to foster and build resilience in children at risk so they will be better equipped for whatever challenges they encounter in this ever-changing world. We look forward to continuing this good work in God’s mission and exploring new possibilities for the Bishops’ Fund for Children at Camp Washington and beyond.
We invite you to make a gift that is meaningful to you.
A Letter From Our Board of Directors
Greetings from Camp Washington,
We know two things to be true. We know that Camp Washington is a tremendous resource in our diocese. We also know that there are children in our communities who could benefit from going to camp. We need your help to identify these children and help them get to camp and have funding to do so.
In 1994, the Bishops’ Fund for Children (BFC) was created by then-Bishop Diocesan Clarence Coleridge to serve and support “at-risk” kids throughout Connecticut. Today, the BFC funds up to 50 full-scholarships for at-risk kids to attend Camp Washington’s summer programs.
We define at-risk in the broadest sense possible, including kids who are or were in the foster care system, kids who have had adverse childhood experiences, kids with legal trouble, kids from under-resourced families and communities, etc. If you think a child in your life may be at-risk, chances are that they are eligible for the BFC.
How can you help? Our invitation is for all clergy and leaders of the Episcopal Church in Connecticut, along with leaders of community organizations that work with at-risk children, to serve as nominators for the BFC. Serving as a nominator is a critical element of the program. Not only do nominators fulfill the important role of identifying eligible campers, but they also commit to walking with the camper and the camper’s family throughout the process. This includes ensuring that the family is able to fill out all paperwork, that the camper receives all medical clearances, that the camper has the proper clothing and equipment for a camp experience, and that the camper has transportation to and from Camp Washington. Additionally, the nominator works with Camp Washington staff to communicate any behavioral or social challenges, or any language or cultural barriers, that a camper may have, so that all campers may have the best possible experience.
If you have at-risk children in your parish, in your community, or otherwise in your lives, please consider talking with them and their families about Camp Washington. We particularly want everyone to know about the wonderful opportunity to attend a summer program for a life-changing experience, where they are unconditionally loved, nourished, and allowed to be who God created them to be, all while having a lot of fun!
Please be in touch with us if you have questions or need help: camp@campwashington.org or 860-567-9623. And please keep Camp Washington, and all BFC participants in your prayers.
Faithfully,
The Camp Washington Board of Directors