Hundreds of Underserved Youth to Attend Camp Thanks to Record-Breaking Golf Fundraiser
Camp Bob Waldorf, Local Residential Camp, Funded to Accommodate LA’s Underserved Youth
A golfer tees off at the 2022 Camp Bob Waldorf Golf Classic
Jewish Big Brothers Big Sisters of Los Angeles (JBBBSLA) held its 28th Annual Camp Bob Waldorf Golf Classic on Monday, March 7th at Valencia Country Club to help families from underserved communities across Los Angeles afford camp for their children. JBBBSLA has owned and operated Camp Bob Waldorf in Glendale for over 80 years to give underserved youth an enriching summer experience and provide them with the tools and support system they need to thrive from elementary school to college and beyond.
Thanks to an outpouring of support, the Golf Classic shattered its fundraising goals weeks in advance and raised a total of $375,000. JBBBSLA is grateful to the generous golfers, foundations, and institutional sponsors who came out to support Camp Bob Waldorf. This event would not be a success without the incredible Golf Committee Co-Chairs Joey Behrstock and Steve Miller, and the event’s generous title sponsors, Johnny Carson Foundation and National Mortgage Resources.
JBBBSLA CEO Cari Uslan (center) with Golf Committee Co-Chairs Joey Behrstock (left) and Steve Miller (right)
At the event’s closing dinner, golfers heard from JBBBSLA CEO Cari Uslan, Camp Director Simon Hansen, Golf Committee Co-Chairs Joey Behrstock and Steve Miller, camp namesake Bob Waldorf, and former camper Melody Wachtel.
“When I went to camp, I immediately knew it was a special place,” said Wachtel, a former camper set to graduate from college with the support of JBBBSLA’s scholarship program. “Everyone was there to support and root for me, and I made so many friends. With these funds, camp can change more kids’ lives, just like it did for me.”
Thanks to community and institutional support, all campers receive partial or full financial aid. This annual event ensures vulnerable youth can go to camp and develop valuable life skills, build confidence, and become future leaders.
“Our campers experience tremendous life challenges, such as food insecurity, homelessness, and trauma,” JBBBSLA CEO Cari Uslan said. “At camp, we give these kids a safe space where they can have fun, make new friends, and just enjoy being kids. Before learning about our camp, many parents tell us they never dreamed they could afford to send their children to an overnight camp experience. Our camp is different. We ensure that all children can attend regardless of their ability to pay. Today’s generous supporters make camp possible for children throughout Los Angeles.”
“Camp Bob Waldorf creates positive experiences kids will look back on for the rest of their lives,” Camp Director Simon Hansen said. “My staff and our caring counselors instill the four pillars of Respect, Community, Identity and Inclusion at Camp Bob Waldorf and we all work hard through our programming to ensure every camper takes them into their lives.”
In accordance with guidance from public health professionals, JBBBSLA will return to hosting overnight camp this summer for the first time since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Camp staff are eager to give over 800 campers an unforgettable summer.
About Camp Bob Waldorf
Owned and operated by Jewish Big Brother Big Sisters of Los Angeles and inspired by Jewish values to help others, Camp Bob Waldorf is a non-denominational residential camp located on 112 acres in the Verdugo Mountains of Glendale. Since 1938, the camp has helped more than 60,000 underserved children, offering youth development activities for children as young as nine and providing services to them through the age of seventeen and beyond. All CBW campers have access to JBBBSLA’s other programs – including the Teen Talk App providing social and emotional support to teens; the College Access + Success Program offering one-to-one college counseling and scholarships to attend college and more. Learn more about these programs at jbbbsla.org.
###
Leave a Reply