Imagine being 10 years old, getting ready for school, and wondering if anyone will notice that your shoes are too small, your clothes are unwashed, or that your story doesn’t quite match everyone else’s in your class.

For the hundreds of homeless children in Indian River County (IRC), these worries are a daily reality — and summer can be the most stressful season of all. While many families have already arranged exciting camps and family vacations, homeless parents struggle day to day, unsure if they can afford another night in a motel, gas to get to work, or dinner for their children. In 2025, the average cost of summer camp was $199 per week — an impossible expense for families already on the brink.

For the past 10 years, the Homeless Children’s Foundation (HCF) has been funding and coordinating programs that not only support homeless children’s healthy development and long-term success but also guide families toward self-sufficiency. Through Compassion in Action: Camps Enriching the Lives of Homeless Youth, HCF provides local homeless children with access to summer camps at no cost to their families. The generosity of Impact 100 and our broader community have made it possible to offer stability, safety, and enrichment during the long summer months.

Last summer, HCF partnered with more than 20 local camps to place 281 homeless children in programs carefully matched to their ages, interests, and individual needs. These camps offered far more than recreation. Children formed friendships, built confidence, and discovered new skills, including swimming, skating, fishing, tennis, and more. For children experiencing homelessness, camp also provided something far more profound: a sense of normalcy and belonging, and a temporary escape from the uncertainty of motel rooms, shelters, or other unstable living situations.

The Impact 100 grant was pivotal in this success. Across two summers, 35 of the most vulnerable children in IRC (15 in 2024 and 20 in 2025) attended 10 full weeks of summer camp. The grant covered enrollment, placement, tuition, daily lunches, and essential program items such as swimsuits, towels, and water shoes. At the conclusion of each camp season, children funded by Impact 100 received a new backpack filled with school supplies and uniforms — tangible tools for both learning and confidence.

Despite rising costs, HCF’s strong relationships with camp partners allowed us to negotiate discounted tuition rates and complete the grant under budget. Rather than leaving these funds unused, we sought to extend your impact even further.

Like summer, the hours after the school bell rings at 3:30 p.m. present another crisis for homeless families. Parents of elementary-aged children face an unimaginable choice: leave their young children in unsafe, unsupervised locations while they work, reduce their hours to part-time, or quit their jobs altogether. Afterschool programs are essential, yet for the most part entirely unaffordable for these families.

With Impact 100’s support, HCF’s remaining grant funds were reallocated to provide one full month (four school weeks) of daily afterschool programming for 22 children, ensuring safety, supervision, and  continuity of care.

While children thrived in HCF programs, parents were able to work and meet with HCF Case Managers to address pressing family needs. In 2025, HCF served 517 homeless children across summer camps, before- and after-school programs, and winter and spring break initiatives. 83% of HCF families had at least one working parent, and 22 families successfully transitioned into permanent housing – a testament to how life-changing our mission is to families in IRC!

Yet the need continues  to grow. During the 2024–2025 school year, the School District of IRC identified 655 homeless children, the highest number ever recorded. Many carry invisible burdens of fear, instability, and shame. Each day, HCF works diligently to expand our reach so that no child falls between the cracks.

Thanks to Impact 100 for believing in these children, in their potential, and in a community where every child can thrive. Because of you, hope is tangible, stability is possible, and futures are being transformed.