FAQs
Step 1: Register your child for camp. Register your child for a Jewish overnight camp in good standing with the Foundation for Jewish Camp. View the list of approved camps.
Step 2: Apply for the Bushman Gift of Camp. Complete the Bushman Gift of Camp application. Once your child’s camp registration and Bushman Gift of Camp application are approved, funds will be paid directly to the camp listed on your application.
Please note: If your child’s camp registration is canceled or they do not attend camp, the gift funds will be returned to the Bushman Foundation. If your plans change, please contact Jessica Kroll at via email or at 913-327-8163 as soon as possible to discuss next steps.
Jewish children who permanently reside in the Greater Kansas City area, including Topeka and Lawrence, Kansas, and Saint Joseph, Missouri, may apply if they are registered to attend a Jewish overnight camp in good standing with the Foundation for Jewish Camp. View a list of approved camps. The gift is not based on financial need; families at any income level are encouraged to apply. First-time and returning campers are both eligible. Every eligible child in a family may receive the gift, with a separate application required for each child. Please note that day camps, including J Camp, are not eligible to receive this gift.
Each eligible child will receive a gift covering 75% of their camp tuition, up to a maximum of $4,000 per child. The gift amount will be calculated based on the net camp tuition owed after applicable discounts have been applied. This includes sibling discounts, first-time camper discounts, and any other applicable camp discounts.
Any Jewish overnight camp in good standing with the Foundation for Jewish Camp (FJC) is eligible, including camps representing all Jewish movements and approaches. Your child does not need to attend a camp in the Kansas City area. You can explore the full list of eligible overnight camps with FJC's Find a Camp tool.
Please note that day camps, including J Camp, are not eligible. Need help choosing the right camp? Contact Jessica Kroll via email or at 913-327-8163. We're happy to help you explore your options!
All camp-age Jewish children who permanently reside in the Greater Kansas City area and are attending a Jewish overnight camp are eligible.
No, the Bushman Gift of Camp is available to any Jewish child in the Greater Kansas City area interested in attending Jewish overnight camp.
Yes. Every eligible Jewish child in a family may receive the Bushman Gift of Camp. Each child must meet the eligibility requirements, and a separate application must be submitted for each child.
Funds will be sent directly to your child’s camp by The Jewish Federation of Greater Kansas City, prior to the camp’s tuition payment deadline. Families will not receive funds directly.
No. Your child must be registered at an approved overnight Jewish camp before you complete the Bushman Gift of Camp online application. Have questions about eligibility or need help finding the right camp? Contact Jessica Kroll at via email or at 913-327-8163. We’re happy to help!
If you have already paid your child’s camp tuition in full, please contact Jessica Kroll at via email or at 913-327-8163 as soon as possible. We will work directly with the camp to coordinate a refund of the eligible gift amount.
The Bushman Gift of Camp is not a scholarship and is not based on financial need. Receiving the Bushman Gift of Camp does not prevent you from receiving financial assistance from another source. Families who need additional support are encouraged to explore additional scholarships opportunities, including:
Please reach out to Jessica Kroll to help guide you through the process.
Stanley Bushman often asked, “Are you helping others today?” In his spirit and memory, we hope to inspire acts of kindness, encourage our families to make a difference in the lives of others, and strengthen their commitment to our Jewish community. As part of receiving the Bushman Gift of Camp, we ask that each camper perform a mitzvah (good deed) to help someone else during their time at camp and share with us how they made a difference. We encourage campers to get creative! Their mitzvah can be shared through a written note, a picture, an artistic creation, a video, or any other form of creative expression. Detailed instructions will be emailed to families in the summer.
The application deadline is April 30. We encourage families to apply early to ensure their application is submitted on time. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, so we encourage families to apply as soon as possible. In year one, the gift is limited to the first 270 eligible children.
Please allow up to 10 business days to receive confirmation of your application’s approval.
We’re happy to help! For additional questions about the Bushman Gift of Camp, please contact Jessica Kroll at via email or at 913-327-8163.
The Bushman Gift of Camp applies to one Jewish overnight camp per child per summer. To help make this opportunity accessible to as many Jewish campers as possible, each child may receive the gift for one camp only.
No. The Bushman Gift of Camp is limited to the original camp session approved in your application. Additional funding is not available to cover extended stays or additional camp sessions.
National research consistently identifies Jewish overnight camp as a powerful experience for building lifelong Jewish identity, strengthening a sense of belonging, and fostering meaningful connections to the Jewish community. Through shared traditions, friendships, and immersive Jewish experiences, campers develop a deeper connection to their heritage and create memories that last a lifetime. The Bushman Foundation believes every child should have the opportunity to experience these benefits. By helping make Jewish overnight camp more accessible, we are investing in the next generation of Jewish leaders.
The Bushman Gift of Camp is currently part of a pilot program, with funding secured through the summer of 2029. During this time, we are working to build a sustainable model that will allow us to continue offering this gift to families for years to come.
Yes! Please make a donation directly with the Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Kansas City and designate it specifically to the Bushman Gift of Camp.
Each eligible child may receive one gift per year of that covers 75% of overnight camp tuition, up to $4,000 to attend one or multiple eligible Jewish overnight camps. In year one, the gift is limited to the first 270 eligible children.
The Bushman Gift of Camp covers camp tuition only. Families are responsible for all additional expenses, including transportation, supplies, insurance, spending money, medical costs, and optional activities or add-ons.
No. The Bushman Gift of Camp does not guarantee your child a spot at camp. Each camp manages its own enrollment and admission decisions independently of the gift program. Families must register directly with their chosen camp.
The Bushman Gift of Camp is available to children whose permanent residence is in the Greater Kansas City area. If your child splits time between two households, eligibility is based on their permanent residence. A grandparent’s residence alone does not establish eligibility. Proof of residency may be requested.
The Bushman Gift of Camp welcomes the full diversity of Jewish families in Greater Kansas City. Any family that self-identifies as Jewish is eligible to apply. A child is eligible if they are being raised within the Jewish faith or identify as Jewish. This includes children in interfaith families, or from any Jewish movement. You may be asked about your family’s participation in Jewish schools, congregations, or programming during the application process.
The Bushman Gift of Camp is available only to campers who permanently reside in the Greater Kansas City area. Families outside the area may be eligible for the Foundation for Jewish Camp’s One Happy Camper program (for first-time campers) or need-based financial assistance through their camp and/or congregation.
The Bushman Gift of Camp is available to any participant who pays camp tuition, including counselors-in-training (CITs) and campers enrolled in upper high school programs. Paid staff members are not eligible.
If your child cancels their camp registration before camp begins, the gift funds will be returned to the Bushman Foundation. If your child leaves camp early, repayment may be requested, depending on the circumstances and the camp's refund policy. We understand that plans change, from illness to family emergencies to homesickness, and we will work with families individually. In either case please contact Jessica Kroll at via email or at 913-327-8163 as soon as possible to discuss next steps.
We're so glad your child is excited about camp! The Bushman Gift of Camp supports Jewish children in Greater Kansas City in building their Jewish identity and connection to the community. To be eligible, children must identify as Jewish.
No. Eligibility is based on the child’s permanent residence. To qualify, your child must permanently reside in the Greater Kansas City area, including Topeka and Lawrence, Kansas, and Saint Joseph, Missouri. We’re grateful for grandparents who want to help their grandchildren experience Jewish overnight camp! Families who live outside the area may be eligible for the Foundation for Jewish Camp's One Happy Camper program (for first-time campers) or for financial aid directly from their camp or congregation.
No. The Bushman Gift of Camp may only be applied toward tuition at Jewish overnight camps that are in good standing with the Foundation for Jewish Camp. View the list of approved camps.
A Jewish overnight camp is one that weaves Jewish values, culture, and traditions into the camp experience in meaningful and unique ways. To be eligible for the Bushman Gift of Camp, an overnight camp must be in North America and be in good standing with the Foundation for Jewish Camp. View the list of approved camps.
The Bushman Gift of Camp can only be applied toward tuition at Jewish overnight camps in good standing with the Foundation for Jewish Camp. Other programs, including Israel travel experiences, may be considered in the future but are not eligible for funding during the program's pilot year.
All Jewish overnight camps in good standing with the Foundation for Jewish camp are eligible. You can explore the full list of eligible overnight camps with FJC's Find a Camp tool.
There are no minimum or maximum session length requirements to be eligible for the Bushman Gift of Camp funding.
