2020 Crowdfunding Guide

From November 16th – December 31st, we are running a GoFundMe campaign to raise money for Experience Camps.

We’ll be looking to you, our supporters, to join together to fill the funding gap created by COVID-19 and ensure that we can fund 1,200 campers to attend camp next summer. That’s a 33% increase from last year to help meet the demand we’re seeing for our programs.

You have the power to make a real impact in the lives of grieving children and have your friends and family rally around a cause that you care deeply about. This page contains all of the information you need to start your campaign.

Create your page

Check out the steps below to learn how to create an impactful fundraising page:

  1. Go to: https://charity.gofundme.com/o/en/campaign/experience-camps-2020-crowdfunding-campaign.
  2. Click the “Join” button, then ‘Create Your Team’.
  3. Log in or create a GoFundMe account.
  4. Follow the prompts to set a team title, photos and story. GoFundMe requires that every individual fundraiser starts off by creating a ‘team’ – however, you will be the only person in your team. Every fundraiser has their own team.
  5. After you create your fundraising team, you can customize your campaign under Campaign Manager > Edit
  6. That’s it! Follow the steps below to get your team page out to your family & friends!

Make this page your own! The more personalized it is, the more impactful it will be when donors visit your page. Add your own pictures, use pictures from our toolkit, write your own story, use camper quotes – it is up to you! Looking for inspo? Here is a great example of a page.

Getting started guide

  1. Share your Story, Let’s TAG (Talk About Grief): If you’re comfortable with sharing, your story of why you are fundraising for Experience Camps should be personal and authentic. It can be your own grief story or the reason you care.  If you need help getting started, see our guide to how to tell your grief story. You’re raising money so grieving kids around the country can find community and feel less alone. That’s pretty special.
  2. Start Giving: Kickoff your campaign for Experience Camps with a personal gift of any size. We have found that people are more likely to donate to your campaign when you have made a donation yourself.
  3. Build Your Audience: Start reaching out to your friends, family, and coworkers via email, social posts, text messaging, messenger pigeons – any way to spread the word! We have developed a messaging toolkit to help you get started.  All you have to do is copy and paste to start raising awareness for your campaign.
  4. Gratitude: Say thank you to those who support you. Celebrate your success together and let them know about the incredible impact they are having on children’s lives. Some people choose to tag supporters in thank you posts on social media – a great way to share your gratitude and reach more people with your campaign.

Everything you need is right here

Experience Camps by the numbers

  • In 2021, we will have over 1,100 campers at camps in Maine, California, Georgia,  Pennsylvania, and Michigan.
  • There are 450+ volunteer camp counselors
  • More than 80% of eligible campers return each summer
  • We’ve grown our camper numbers 225% in the last 5 years.
  • Our waitlist has a growth rate of 500%

Childhood grief stats

  • 1 in 5 children will experience the death of someone close to them by age 18. (Kenneth Doka, Editor of OMEGA, Journal of Death and Dying)
  • An estimated 1 in 14, or 5.2 million, children in the U.S. will experience the death of a parent or sibling before they reach the age of 18. (CBEM)
  • Over 1 million children have impacted by grief due to COVID-19 related deaths
  • In New York State, 1 child out of every 1,000 have lost a parent or caregiver to COVID from March- July 2020. (COVID-19 Ripple Effect: The Impact of COVID-19 on Children in New York State)
  • According to the recently released Childhood Bereavement Estimation Model (CBEM), an estimated 1 out of 5 children in the U.S. will experience the death of someone close to them before they reach the age of 18
  • 1.5 million children are living in a single-parent household because of the death of one parent. (Journal of Hospice & Palliative Nursing)
  • One out of every 20 children aged fifteen and younger will suffer the loss of one or both parents. These statistics don’t account for the number of children who lose a “parental figure,” such as a grandparent or other relative that provides care. (Owens, D. “Recognizing the Needs of Bereaved Children in Palliative Care” Journal of Hospice & Palliative Nursing. 2008; 10:1)
  • Classroom teachers report that students who have lost a parent or guardian typically exhibit: – Difficulty concentrating in class (observed by 87% of teachers) – Withdrawal/disengagement and less class participation (observed by 82%) – Absenteeism (observed by 72%) – Decrease in quality of work (observed by 68%) – Less reliability in turning in assignments (observed by 66%) (New York Life Foundation and American Federation of Teachers)

Helpful resources

Experience Camps Links:

Fundraising Resources:

Grief Resources: