When campers are homesick, we often hear things like, “I can’t do this,” “It’s too hard,” and “I’ll never make it!” We remind our campers that it is hard to be away from home and it’s okay to feel like it is a challenge, but we believe that with a little courage and a lot of support from counselors and friends they can accomplish the goal they set of making it through 1, 2, or even 3 weeks of camp. We remind them that some days will feel harder than others, but we know they are looking forward to climbing the tower or going on a camp out or visiting the goats at the farm and that each time they do one of those activities, they are that much closer to reaching their goal! We cherish the moments at the end of a session when a child who missed home like crazy says to us, “I’m so glad I did it!” or, “I’m so proud of myself!”

So it is with Two Tons Together. Sometimes we’ve thought to ourselves, “We can’t do this!” Sometimes we’ve whispered to one another, “We’ll never make it!” or “That’s way too much!” Yet each time we weigh food from the garden or weigh donations from our camp families, we remember that we are working toward something amazing. Just like having fun at camp while homesick, trying to reach our goal of donating 2 Tons of food challenges us in a great way. Each day we put in work planting, harvesting, and encouraging campers to write to their friends and families about our project. Each day we get that much closer to saying, “We did it!”

So where are we now?

Numbers from our garden: We’ve harvested 564 pounds of fresh produce from our garden including summer squash, green beans, turnips, kale, lettuce, chard, radishes, and even some fresh herbs.

Our guess is that by the end of the summer we will harvest another 500 pounds of produce. By the time winter hits and we’ve harvested apples from the 30 apple trees on camp, corn, sweet potatoes, and winter squash from our garden, we will have doubled our total amount of fresh food and will reach our goal of 1 Ton from our garden.

Numbers from your pantry: We’ve collected 1052.8 pounds of non-perishable foods ranging from canned fruit to pasta to lentils and beans.

We still have one more Clopening (Closing/Opening all mixed into one) and one more Closing day to collect food. We are also asking other visitors to camp to bring donations to help.

Numbers Together: We’ve collected 1616.8 pounds all together, almost halfway to our goal!

“I harvested squash for Two Tons Together. Will you bring canned corn on Closing Day?”

When we set goals with homesick campers, we always let them know how we can help them get there. Sometimes that means checking in each day, helping them write letters home, or teaching them how to make a new friend who will make their camp experience that much better. To reach our goal of donating two tons of food, we need your help! There are three ways to help us:

1)    Bring non-perishable food when you drop off or pick up your camper during the rest of Kallah Gimmel.
2)   If you are not able to bring food with you, we will happily collect monetary donations and buy non-perishable items to add to the count. Not going to make it to an opening or closing day before the end of the summer but still want to help? Send a check with “Two Tons Together” in the memo line to our Bellevue office (3805 108th Ave NE Bellevue, WA 98004).
3)    Share the link to this blog with your friends and family and encourage them to be a part of our project!

1 Ton from Our Garden + 1 Ton from Your Pantry = 2 Tons Together to End Hunger