Rising 7th -grader Victoria was nervous: she was going to sleepaway camp for the first time.  But when camp ended and we picked her up, she couldn't stop hugging her new friends and counselors goodbye. "It was so fun!" she says. "I am looking forward to going back next year."

Going to sleepaway camp is fun for kids of any background, but it can be transformative for the children we serve. Camp provides an opportunity to get out of the neighborhood, have new experiences, and make friends with different backgrounds. And spending two weeks away from home makes it easier for a child to imagine what it would be like to leave home to go to college. It encourages children to dream big about their futures.

Horton's Kids is sending a record 31 children like Victoria to sleepaway camps across the country this summer - more than double the amount of children we were able to send last year. We're so grateful to our generous donors who made this possible by helping cover camp costs and providing essential supplies: everything from suitcases to toiletries to sleeping bags.

"I'm excited about the whole thing," says rising 7th-grader Amillion, who's headed to camp this month. She went to camp for the first time last year, and "it was amazing" - especially making new friends. Her advice for kids going to camp for the first time this summer? "You will enjoy camp as much as I did. You get to experience new things you never did before."

Whether during the summer or the school year, the support of our donors and volunteers creates countless empowering experiences for the children of Horton's Kids. Thank you for standing with us!