Who We Are
Why Camp Blodgett
Founded over 100 years ago to give low‑income children access to the outdoors, Camp Blodgett has evolved into a year‑round youth development organization that provides recreational and educational experiences to children who could otherwise not afford them. Our programs promote social responsibility, encourage academic success, and support and develop self‑esteem.
Our goal is to provide a our fun, enriching summer camp accessible to all kids in Kent & Ottawa Counties by using a sliding fee scale based on family size and income—most families pay $80 or less for one week of camp even though the true cost exceeds $750—and we also offer free school‑year programs. We ensure our staff reflects the diversity of the children we serve and that everyone is committed to delivering inclusive, equitable, and accessible programs.
Commitment To Growth
We strive to continually learn and grow as youth development professionals. Below is a sampling of what the national camp community is learning to ensure we are welcoming to all kids. We are grateful to the American Camping Association for sharing their research-based, equity focused information.
American Camping Association: Black Lives Matter
American Camping Association: Serving the Needs of Trans Campers
Our Big Idea
IDEA is an acronym for the pillars that guide our youth development work, each with annually measured indicators used to inform and improve our plans and practices.
Inclusion: We create a culture of belonging by which children feel accepted, appreciated and included for who they authentically are.
Diversity: We welcome children from across Kent and Ottawa counties representing a diversity of abilities, ethnicities, gender identities, gender expressions, races, sexual orientations, religions, beliefs and experiences.
Equity: We seek to serve children who are traditionally left out of recreational and educational programs. We identify and address any disparities in our program participation and outcomes to ensure all children are equitably served.
Access: While access based on income is our primary goal, we work to understand what may be preventing children from accessing our programs. From language to sexual orientation to abilities, we want to dismantle those barriers so we can be welcoming to all.
All kids, regardless of income, deserve access to opportunity.
Our Story
Camp Blodgett began in 1921 when D.A. Blodgett Home for Children, an organization dedicated to the care of orphaned children, purchased a tract of land on the shores of Lake Michigan to provide a fresh air camping experience for the orphans during the summer months. A concerned group of women associated with D.A. Blodgett Home, called the Babies' Welfare Guild, took the children camping and worked hard to maintain the camp.
In 1939, the direction of Camp Blodgett was taken over by the United Fund (today’s United Way). Then in 1954, Camp Blodgett became an independent entity and began serving youth from the city of Grand Rapids and throughout Kent County. In 2001, Camp Blodgett expanded its program offerings to include year-round programming, and in 2012, launched an experiential Academy program, which runs alongside camp for 4 weeks each summer.
Today, Camp Blodgett remains a Partner Agency of the Heart of West Michigan United Way and has four primary programs that carry the spirit and values of Camp Blodgett throughout the year. Each year at Summer Camp we serve over 500 campers, of which 40 are STEM Academy campers. During the school year, we maintain contact with our summer campers and serve as many as 200 youth in our school year programs: Young Leaders, STEM Squad, and Day Camps.