Since 1937, Camp Millhouse has been providing enriching experiences for children and adults with disabilities. In 1940, Mr.& Mrs. Charles Millhouse donated 11 acres of land and our main lodge which began our history on Kelly Road – the place our campers continue to call home. Although we currently do not own the land we sit on, we have been the only tenant on this property for the past 77 years. The dream of becoming the owner is finally closer to becoming a reality.
Camp Millhouse is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, residential summer camp for children and adults with varying disabilities. We offer spring and fall camp weekends, multiple one-week-long residential and day camp sessions and additional opportunities throughout the year. Our campers come from all across the country for the unique opportunities that Camp Millhouse provides.
In late 2014, we began a quest for ownership of our property knowing our current lease would expire on December 31, 2017. In early 2017, we were excited to have reached the point of negotiating the purchase agreement. Which brings us to today! The property owners have extended a firm price of $500,000 and want to close the purchase in late December 2017 before the lease expiration date. This purchase will allow us to assure campers, their families and the community that Camp Millhouse is here to stay. In order to meet our purchase obligation, provide funding for our current budget and to begin some immediate upgrades, we are announcing the launch of our $1M Capital CAMPaign: Building for the Future While Honoring the Past – Serving Generations to Come. This exciting opportunity comes as we celebrate our 80th Anniversary. What better way to Honor the Past than to Invest in the Future of Camp Millhouse to ensure Camp will continue to thrive for the next 80 years and beyond!
We need your help to make this happen! We need to raise half of this campaign in a very short amount of time. While $500,000 may sound unreachable, it is not! We know not everyone can donate cash themselves but there are many ways to help! Please see the below document for some suggestions of how to help. What we are asking of you is to reach out to your family, friends and local businesses. Talk to them about Camp Millhouse and why it is important to you and your family. Ask for a donation. Asking can be hard to do, but we have to do it. When we break down the $500,000, it is really just 500 people donating $1,000 or 1000 people donating $500. If 10 of your friends donate $100 each, you’ve already reached $1,000! We know these are big numbers so remember that every single penny counts! It gets us that much closer to our goal!
Donations can be made via cash, check or charge and can be mailed to Camp Millhouse, 25600 Kelly Rd., South Bend, IN 46614. Credit/debit cards can be called in to the office directly or used through our website www.campmillhouse.org or on the GoFundMe page. Please call the office if you have any questions 574-233-2202. Thank you to each and every one of you! With all of us working together, Camp Millhouse will continue to serve generations to come!
With Warm Regards,
Diana Breden Liz Richards
Executive Director Camp Director
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There are numerous ways you can be a part of this CAMPaign:
- Donations can be made directly to Camp Millhouse via cash, check or charge by contacting the office directly at 574-233-2202, the donation page of our website at www.campmillhouse.org /donate-now.html, via our GoFundMe account or mail or bring your donation to the office at 25600 Kelly Road, South Bend, IN 46614. If you come to the office, we can also give you a tour! - Naming Opportunities: for a specific donation amount, you will have the naming rights for the building you choose to fund. Please see below for more information or call the office at 574-233-2202.
- Power of a Pledge: We invite you to consider making a pledge to the CAMPaign as a way to help Camp Millhouse meet the $500,000 commitment for the 2017 property purchase. Consider spreading your pledge across a three year period with a 50% gift in 2017 and 25% for the next two years. - Stock Donation: The most tax-efficient method of making this type of gift is to donate the stock shares directly to Camp Millhouse through their Edward Jones investor who will immediately initiate a sale of the stock shares and forward the proceeds directly to Camp Millhouse. The donor then receives documentation from Camp Millhouse regarding the stock sale transaction as well as official notification from Camp of a charitable gift once the funds are received. For instructions to provide to your broker about how to initiate your gift of stock for Camp Millhouse, please contact the office 574-233-2202 or campmillhouse@gmail.com. - Purchase property: Camp Millhouse owns five lots in a residential neighborhood near the corner of Kern and Locust Roads. We would like to sell these lots to help us with the purchase of our camp property. Please contact the office for more information. - Matching gifts: Did you know that many employers will match your donations to a non-profit charity? Ask your employer if they participate in a matching gift program. Ask your family and friends to match your gift to Camp Millhouse. - Encourage others to donate: share our letter with friends and family, tell them why Camp is important to you and ask them to help, host an information night with people from your work, church, community group or club, gym, etc. If you want us to attend, bring promotional materials, our video, and answer questions, please call the office. We’ll travel anywhere! Share our social media posts, our videos and the GoFundMe link and ask family and friends to do the same. Consider your connections and introduce us – radio hosts, newspapers, t.v., influential friends, business owners. - Memorials and bequests: For the future success of Camp Millhouse, please consider including Camp Millhouse in your Will, IRA Gift, Charitable Gift Annuities or Legacy Trusts. |
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These campers are what this capital CAMPaign is all about!!
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