Camp Courant, Inc.

Founded in 1894, Hartford’s Camp Courant is the oldest and largest FREE summer day program in the nation, providing six weeks of fun and learning for children, ages 5–12, who reside in the city of Hartford. We provide transportation, two nutritious meals, and recreational, and educational activities, all at no cost to the camper or his or her family.  While there are other programs in the area that offer scholarships or discounted fees for families, Camp Courant is the only program that is entirely free for six weeks. All thirteen of our programs are designed by licensed teachers  to be educational, and to decrease summer learning loss.

We believe that the mission and vision of Camp Courant directly align with the goals of the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving, particularly as it relates to the Foundation’s goals around race, place and income.  We too believe, as is stated in our mission, that every child, regardless of their race and ethnicity, the ZIP code where they live, or how much money they earn—has the opportunity to thrive.  At Camp Courant, that is a possibility.  Every child that attends Camp is from the City of Hartford. At least 93% of those that attended Camp in 2019 qualified for free/reduced lunch (some chose not to answer).  99% of those that we serve identify as minority.  Our campers live in some of the most impoverished neighborhoods in the country.  If not for Camp Courant, and if not for the support of organizations like the Hartford Foundation, Hartford’s kids would have nowhere to go in the summer.  They would have nowhere to continue to learn.  They would have nowhere to play.  Those children should not struggle because of their race, their zipcode or their income.  Yet they do.  We know from our 2019 Parent Survey that without Camp Courant, more than 75% of our campers would be at home either alone or with a relative in the summer.  That is not the future we want to Hartford’s young people.  Camp Courant is the only organization providing a FREE summer program for over 1,000 children each summer.  While Camp Courant certainly cannot solve every issue facing our youth, we have helped level the playing field.  Camp Courant has stood the test of time for well-over a century, but we will need the community and organizations like the Hartford Foundation to continue to believe in the value of our work, and help ensure that children in Hartford thrive during the summer months.