About Us
Fifty years of sending kids to camp
The Taylor Statten Camping Bursary Fund was established in 1972 in Toronto by the staff and alumni of Camps Ahmek and Wapomeo with a simple belief: summer camp can be a formative experience in a young person’s life.
Our namesake
The fund is named in honour of Taylor Statten I, one of the best-known pioneers of overnight camping in Canada. His vision—that time in nature builds character, leadership, and resilience—remains at the heart of everything we do.
50+
Years sending kids to camp
2,000+
Camping summers funded
~$160K
Distributed in bursaries each year
~95%
Of every donated dollar to bursaries
Mission
We provide need-based bursaries that help children and youth attend accredited summer camps across Canada. Camp builds confidence, teamwork, leadership, and independence. The fund helps bridge the gap between camp fees and a family’s contribution. Families looking for a plain-language overview can also read our family guide to camp funding.
How it works
Our bursaries operate through a three-way partnership. The camp offers a reduced fee, the bursary fund covers the majority of the remaining cost, and the family contributes what it can. This shared model keeps everyone invested in the camper’s success.
While we are named after Taylor Statten and were founded by alumni of Camps Ahmek and Wapomeo, we send children to dozens of accredited camps across Canada—not only the Taylor Statten Camps. We are an independent charity, not affiliated with or operated by any particular camp. Bursaries can be applied to any camp accredited by the Ontario Camping Association (OCA) or the Canadian Camping Association (CCA) that participates in the cost-sharing arrangement.
Our commitment
The Board is deeply committed to ensuring no eligible camper is turned away, and works hard to grow fundraising to keep pace with demand. TSCBF aims to support returning campers who continue to meet eligibility requirements and benefit from the camp experience, potentially for up to five consecutive summers. Donors looking for a focused overview can see how gifts help send a child to camp.
Applicant household income is generally below $100,000, though individual circumstances are considered. The average family income is around $53,000.
Strengthening communities
Our work extends beyond individual campers. Camp helps young people build relationships, confidence, and skills they carry back into their home communities. It also helps camps welcome a broader range of families and experiences into the community.
Toronto roots, Canada-wide mission
TSCBF is based in Toronto, but the fund’s impact is national. We help families access accredited camps across Canada, while staying grounded in the legacy of Camps Ahmek, Camp Wapomeo, and the wider Taylor Statten community.
That legacy gives us a strong foundation, but the charity operates independently. Our role is to help more children reach the camp experience that fits them best.
Partner camps
The TSCBF is named after Taylor Statten and was founded by alumni of Camps Ahmek and Wapomeo—but we are not those camps, and we do not send children exclusively to Taylor Statten Camps. We fund children at accredited camps across Canada. The right camp for each child is the one that fits them.
Some of our long-standing partner camps include:
Any OCA- or CCA-accredited camp can participate in the cost-sharing arrangement. Contact us to learn how.