Responding in Ruidoso
We opened camp for kids impacted by flash floods in New Mexico today, returning for a second year in a row to the Village of Ruidoso which has been devastated by wildfires and rain that have burned neighborhoods and washed away homes in the mountain community.
There have been mixed emotions as we return. On one hand, we’re getting to see some of the same children from last year and provide them with stability, safety and a place to process with their peers. On the other hand, this set of kids – along with their families and the larger community – is at the heart of a major disaster once again.
It’s a stark reminder of our current reality: climate-driven disasters aren’t a far off specter for the next generation to worry about, they are here now and today’s children are bearing the brunt of these extreme weather events.
While it’s a somber reality to consider, we’re also filled with hope. We see real commitment from communities like Ruidoso who are working diligently to ensure their most vulnerable receive care and attention during these disasters. It was village leaders that reached out to us directly to ask for help in providing trauma-informed care for kids holed up in hotels, and the emergency management staff at the local and state level in New Mexico has been at the forefront of discussing system-wide plans for helping impacted children and families.
Project:Camp is here to answer these ever more frequent calls, but we can’t do it alone. We need support from our community in order to help these small, rural communities that often get lost in the headlines. If you have the ability, please donate to our mission and help care for these children.
Bulletin Board
We're very excited to announce that our Founder and Executive Director Mikey Latner was named a Parents Next Gen Award winner! This is the publications first-ever award honoring the people making an impact on families and kids. We're honored to be among this dynamic list of thought leaders, psychology experts, community organizers, and influential advocates dedicated to enacting positive change for kids and families.
We're also very excited to announce a new addition to our full-time team. We're bringing Melissa Young-Crozet on as our second Camps Manager to help meet the growing needs we're seeing in our response work. She has been working with us for several years in various roles, and has a 20 years of experience as a camp director. Melissa brings her expertise in community-building to Project:Camp’s pop-up day camps, offering essential support to kids and families in the wake of natural disasters, ensuring they have a safe space to heal and have fun when they need it most. Welcome, Melissa!
