Summer Stability at Camp Steady

You've heard of soccer camp, band camp, boy scout camp, and dance camp.

But homeless camp?

Well, not exactly. But 75 percent of the youth who attend Camp Steady in Memphis happen to be without a home.

The goal of Camp Steady is to do just what the name implies: provide stability during the uncertain summer vacation months. The six-week camp has been in existence for 17 years, run by the Memphis school system. It aims to reinforce academics and life skills in a fun way, while providing some of the city's poorest children a chance at a normal summer experience. But according to the Memphis Commercial Appeal, the camp also serves other purposes:

For children, the issue is what happens to their safety and self-worth when their families are in crisis. For that reason, there's no "checking" at Camp Steady, no talking about other people's parents, hardships or bad luck.

"With these kids, you could hurt somebody real bad by saying something smart," says Dodson, a teacher and coach at Northside High. "If you're homeless, it doesn't mean you're dumb or can't do anything. It means you've run on hard times.

"Actually," he says, correcting himself in midthought, "it means your mother has run on hard times."

Like other services for homeless youth, Camp Steady has seen a sharp increase in the number of homeless youth enrolling in camp without an increase in their $50,000 budget. Luckily, they have been able to make up for the difference with additional volunteer support.

Thank goodness for that. For many youth, camp will be one of the only stable things in their lives this summer.