We’d like to take a moment to highlight the great work the folks over at Diabetes Youth Families do.
DYF strives to improve the quality of life for children, teens, and families affected by diabetes by providing education and recreation programs within a supportive community to foster personal growth, knowledge, and independence. They run several activities throughout the year, including youth camps and fundraising events like the dodgeball tournament we participated in last year. One of the other events we take part in is Camp de los Niños. DYF continued the Camp de los Niños program from the Diabetes Society. This week-long summer camp for children and teens is located in the Santa Cruz mountains. In addition to diabetes education, the campers enjoy traditional camp experiences such as swimming, arts & crafts, sports & games, dance, campfires and more.
The cause of the organization is very near and dear to the heart of our Sales Director, Matt Finney, who has type I diabetes himself. Matt actually went to Camp de los Niños as a child and has been volunteering at the camp for the past six years. A few years ago, he approached the CEO of our company about a corporate contribution and we’ve been making an annual donation ever since. This year, we’re proud to announce that we’re sponsoring the T-shirts and water bottles for the Camp de los Niños program to the tune of $3,000.
“It’s a great experience,” says Matt. “Everyone is so supportive. The courage and positive attitude of everyone at the camp is just inspiring.” One thing of particular note is that in DYF’s 76 year history, they do their best to ensure all children are able to attend camp regardless of their family’s personal financial situation. All participants in their programs are eligible to attend on a subsidized rate with donations covering the difference. Additionally, DYF provides a number of scholarships to help cover the cost for qualified participants, up to 100% of the cost of attendance. Approximately 27-33% of the 100 campers at Camp de los Niños receive some kind of scholarship.
This year’s Camp de los Niños program just concluded but as we said, DYF runs a lot of events throughout the year. Please take a moment to visit their website and read more about their programs—maybe even volunteer or make a donation yourself. Be sure to also visit their Facebook page where you can keep up to date with the latest events, photos and news at DYF. Let’s show the generosity of the Open Source community!
