JCC Association of North America Announces Partnership with American Camp Association
The partnership encourages all JCC day camps to become accredited as a demonstration of having met nationally recognized standards of excellence
NEW YORK – JCC Association of North America has announced a new partnership with the American Camp Association (ACA) which encourages all JCC day camps to become accredited as a demonstration of having met nationally recognized standards of excellence. This is the first-ever agreement of its kind between a North American Jewish organization and ACA, and the partnership will help strengthen community-camp bonds for the 150 day and overnight JCC camps and 5000+ seasonal and year-round professionals. ACA encompasses a community of 3,100 camps and over 12,000 camp professionals.
As community and youth-serving organizations, JCC Association and ACA understand the value and importance of educational, developmental and safe camp experiences. The ultimate objective of the partnership between JCC Association and ACA is to strengthen their collective work serving children, youth and adults through positive, transformative camp experiences for all and to ultimately strengthen their local communities. As part of this process, camps must demonstrate that they uphold a consistent standard of excellence. After camps go through the rigorous, peer-reviewed accreditation procedures and are given this status, ACA accreditation is a clear and universal statement of quality that ensures JCC campers and staff are benefitting from life-changing camp experiences.
“Camp is one of the key entry points of families into Jewish Community Centers and therefore its impact extends far beyond seven to 10 weeks of summer camp,” said Aaron Greenberg, vice president of camp engagement at JCC Association of North America. “When we help make our camps better, we strengthen the community as a whole—throughout the year and for many years after. Becoming ACA-accredited demonstrates the excellence that each of our JCCs and camps continually strive for.”
The partnership serves as public recognition that ACA-accredited JCC camp programs provide safe, high-quality experiences, so that parents know that they are choosing the best when they choose a JCC day or overnight camp. Successful camps continue to be a vital foundation for effective Jewish Community Centers and enable current and future generations of campers and their families to be part of strong communities throughout North America.
“For over 70 years the American Camp Association Accredited Camp® designation has been a parent’s only assurance in all 50 states that a camp meets the foundational standards for camps in the United States,” said Tom Rosenberg, ACA president and CEO.
While many JCC-affiliated day camps are already ACA accredited, JCC Association aims to have all camps accredited by 2023. To learn more about which JCC Camps are already accredited, visit http://find.acacamps.org/.
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About JCC Association of North America
JCC Association of North America leads and connects the JCC Movement, advancing and enriching North American Jewish life. With 1.5 million people walking through the doors of JCCs each week, the JCC Movement represents the largest platform of Jewish engagement on the continent. JCC Association is the convening organization of this powerful network, partnering with JCCs and camps to bring together the collective power and knowledge of the JCC Movement—which represents 6,000 full-time skilled professionals and more than 32,000 part-time seasonal staff—and supporting them as we enhance and strengthen Jewish life throughout North America together.
Learn more at jcca.org, on Facebook, Instagram and on Twitter at @JCCAssociation.
About American Camp Association
The American Camp Association® (ACA) is a national organization with more than 12,000 individual members and 3,100 member camps. ACA is committed to collaborating with those who believe in quality camp and outdoor experiences for children, youth, and adults. ACA provides advocacy, evidence-based education, and professional development, and is the only independent national accrediting body for the organized camp experience. ACA accredits approximately 2,500 diverse camps nationally. Accreditation provides public evidence of a camp’s voluntary commitment to the health, safety, and overall well-being of both campers and staff. For more information, visit ACAcamps.org
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