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Summer camp- the magical place where kids play all day with their friends, get dirty, and come home with enough craft projects to carpet the living room. There's no denying the need for summer child care, and many families are desperate for affordable options. But let me share why, at TRIBE we don't dive into the summer camp fray.
First, let's talk numbers. Affordable for families often translates to unmanageable for providers. Most parents are willing to pay around $150 per week for camp. It sounds reasonable, right? Now, let’s do a little math:
We need at least three staff members to handle a group of 20 kids. These aren't just any staff members; they need to be energetic, responsible, and able to juggle crafts, chaos, and the occasional kid who decides to test the laws of physics. We pay our heroes $17 an hour, which is fair considering the work involved.
So, three staff members at $17 an hour, for 40 hours a week, means we're shelling out $2,040 just in wages. But hold on—this isn't the whole story. We also have to factor in employee-related costs, like payroll taxes and benefits, which add roughly a 25% markup to the base pay. That’s another $510, bringing our weekly total for wages and associated costs to $2,550.
If we bring in 20 campers at $150 each, that’s $3,000. Subtract the $2,550 for staff wages and costs, and we’re left with $450. We haven't even accounted for supplies, snacks, or the inevitable emergency glitter runs. The math isn’t just tight—it’s downright suffocating.
But wait, there’s more! Let’s dive into the “less fun” costs that keep the camp running smoothly and safely. We have building costs, because kids need a roof over their heads and walls to contain their energy. Insurance is a must-have to protect everyone from the unexpected, and trust me, with kids, the unexpected is always expected. Then there are snacks to fuel those little bodies, cleaning supplies to combat the aftermath of snack time, and sanitizing supplies because, well, germs.
As if these challenges weren't enough, we face another hurdle: our location. We’re on the third floor of a 100-year-old building with no playground or outdoor space. Imagine telling kids they’ll be spending their summer indoors, all day, every day. Not exactly the stuff of childhood dreams. Plus, the preschool next door has their own summer camp, and we can’t use their green space. So even if we solved the financial puzzle, we’d still be stuck indoors, which isn't ideal for an energetic group of kids.
When you add all these factors up, it becomes clear why running a camp isn't just a financial puzzle—it's a Herculean task. And while we’re talking about cost, let’s not forget that grants, which could potentially help, often come with strings attached. They require a level of pre-planning that makes organizing a wedding look like a walk in the park. Plus, many grants can’t be used for staff salaries, which is where the bulk of our expenses lie.
The crux of the problem is simple: some things only money can buy, like staff and operational essentials. Without sufficient funding to cover all these bases, a camp just isn't feasible. We can't ask our staff to work for free, and we can’t stretch dollars into hours no matter how much coffee we drink.
So, while we understand the need and wish we could step in to fill the summer camp void, the financial gymnastics required are beyond our current capabilities. We hope this helps clarify the challenges and maybe even sparks some ideas on how we can work together as a community to create solutions.
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