2025 Camp Stories

“I loved camp and we were treated 'super good!”
 
Eleven children from the San Jose Family Shelter had an amazingly great time at Mt. Cross this June, camping in cabins for 3 days. They loved the swimming pool. It was equally enjoyable for the Mt. Cross counselors. A big thank you to all who donated so these children could attend this camp and show up with all of the needed supplies! You made a difference in these children’s lives; a memory that will last a lifetime. Bless you!
 
Some of the kids’ remarks when they returned to the shelter:

• "I loved camp, and we were treated 'super good!' Thank you for this opportunity.”
• "I enjoyed the farmhouse and the river". 
• "I had so much fun, I fell and scraped my chin" - Story: Camper was playing around with other campers he had met, having "so much fun", he fell and scrapped his chin. 
• "I want to come back next year."

Stories shared by our FSH liaison Genevie C.:
Story 1: While waiting for the bus to arrive, campers and their parents were busy digging through backpacks and duffel bags, double-checking that everything was packed. One mom was doing her best to explain the difference between shampoo, conditioner, body wash, and lotion. Holding up the shampoo, she said, “This one’s shampoo. It goes on your head.” Meanwhile, her kids were too busy excitedly unpacking and repacking their camp goodies to listen. They were thrilled about all their supplies and clearly not concerned about hygiene details. It was pure camp chaos in our lobby— and totally hilarious.
 
Story 2: While waiting for the bus to arrive, two campers bounced up to the Programs Manager bursting with excitement. “Is there a pool? Can we swim in it? What days can we go? What time? Can we go every day?” they asked, barely pausing for a breath. Their questions finally came to a halt when the Programs Manager gently let them know to ask their camp counselor once they arrived. One can only imagine how many more times they brought up swimming during their stay…
 
Story 3: As I passed by the lobby, I saw two campers (brother and sister) ready for departure. They let me know that they were super excited about going camping and that it was their first time ever. They did not know what to expect, but they were very eager to find out.
 
Story 4: The toddler sister of two campers was heartbroken watching them leave. She sobbed in the lobby, sobbed as they loaded onto the bus, sobbed as the bus pulled away—and didn’t stop until she was back inside the building. We’re still not sure if she was sad about missing her siblings… or just really wanted to go to camp too.

A long partnership supporting homeless children

Kids to Camp / Family Supportive Housing Fundraiser

For the past 23 years, Prince of Peace has funded almost 600 San Jose Family Shelter children to attend a Mt. Cross summer overnight camp.
On Sunday, May 4th, Mt. Cross and Family Supportive Housing staff will give a short presentation on how the shelter children have benefitted from their Mt. Cross camp experiences. 

Our hope is to give 12 more shelter children a joyful summer camp experience. The cost is $540 per camper for a total of $6,480.

This includes the camp fees and bus transportation. Donate with the button below or checks can be placed in Sunday's offering or mailed directly to the PoP office. Please make checks payable to Prince of Peace, noting "Kids to Camp" in the memo line.

Any donation amount is welcome and greatly appreciated! 

Learn More...

Watch our two minute project summary video from previous years.

Thank you for your generous support and for giving these kids a chance to experience God’s love. 

2024 Camping group had a great week!