Projects
Oregon Summer Star
Tsuga’s Oregon Summer Star is our State’s most admired military-family support program. We combine community-building, leadership skills, and personal reflection with the traditions and fun of summer camp in Oregon. Kids connect through their shared identity in having a parent in the military, while also having time to just be kids. Returning campers look forward to environmental education field studies, swimming, water sports, field games, hikes, crafting, song sessions and challenge course activites. There are classic all-camp games each evening like Capture the Flag and Counselor Hunt. Each evening brings a full campfire program with late night activities including a night hike, an outdoor movie under the stars with popcorn, and an all-camp Dance. Financial aid and scholarships for qualifying youth provided by Mike and Burmah Rainbolt and the Benton Community Foundation.
Neighborhood PLACE: Parks Learning & Community Enhancement
We want youth and teens from each of Portland’s neighborhoods to play an active role in the local planning process. We also believe that every family / kid should be able to afford to go to a local summer day-camp. Neighborhood PLACE guides the involvement of youth from a given neighborhood in activating underutilized open spaces for summer recreational and educational purposes. PLACE teaches waste reduction curriculum, basic land use practices and community livability. PLACE encourages youth to take on stewardship roles within their local natural areas after camp, and aims to inspire greater sensations of community belonging and ownership.
PLACE is in some ways like other traditional summer programs offering a safe, structured and entertaining venue for youth. It is however in many ways unlike other day-camps by offering a full week for only a $25 registration fee (which includes the participant’s program T-shirt). PLACE is also unique in that Tsuga Staff bring programming into a local area that is often more accessible to families than a brick and mortar program located outside their community. One of the most special and lasting components of the PLACE program is the community site improvement project that leaves a positive relic of local youth service.
It’s YOUR turn!
Dedicated Tsuga.org webpages facilitate all of your GoFundMe type functions, but without you or your donors having to offer up personal data including social security numbers. With Tsuga’s 501(c)(3) fiscal sponsorship, you won’t have to pay business taxes or personal income taxes on the money “gifted” to your cause like you do with those for-profit sites. And with lower fees, you get to employ a higher percentage of funds donated for project purposes. Any crowdfunding widgets or apps you want to use can still be embedded and leveraged through your webpage at no additional cost. Perhaps the most important reason to consider Tsuga over a crowdfunding site is the consultation support you receive from our Commission, from brainstorming and networking to fundraising and event planning.