In the Camp Harbor View (CHV) community, entrepreneurship isn’t just about a captivating pitch on Shark Tank or a stiff suit and a packed briefcase. Countless leaders walk through the teen center and go on to follow big dreams of business ventures.
Dom Breaux, Howard Breaux, and Jaylen Sanders are three of such leaders. Together, they founded Just Dreams Apparel, and their journey began right here at Camp Harbor View. After experiencing the magic of summer camp on Long Island, all three went on to join the Leadership Academy — CHV’s year-round program for Boston youth in grades 9-12 — and become Leaders in Training (LITs).
“Camp Harbor View was more than just a summer camp; it was a place for us to connect with other people our age and open up about things that we were all experiencing together.” said Howard.
Jaylen agreed, saying “I knew I wanted to stay at CHV and become an LIT because it was one of the few places I could spend quality time with others outside of school.”
Throughout high school, Howard, Dom, and Jaylen navigated the challenges of adolescence while learning the value of leadership, teamwork, and perseverance. Their time at CHV had instilled in them a sense of entrepreneurship and community. Workshops on entrepreneurship and resilience prepared them for the ups and downs that come with starting a business. Their experiences at camp taught them the importance of being comfortable with discomfort, a lesson that has been crucial in their entrepreneurial endeavors.
Their initial exploration into entrepreneurship was not without challenges. From finding inspiration to sticking to a theme, the trio faced numerous hurdles. Dom recalls the struggle of wanting to be original while ensuring their designs resonated with their target audience. There was also a learning curve with drop-shipping and other logistical aspects. Despite the setbacks, their determination, resilience, and the skills they acquired at CHV helped them push forward.
At CHV’s Summer Camp this year, Just Dreams Apparel was a hot topic. Howard recalls the constant demand for hoodies, with peers asking for more customized designs and unique colors. The support from their camp community fueled their ambition even more.
“This is a really supportive environment. No matter what, if you have doubts about something, they support you through.” said Dom.
Just Dreams Apparel aims to differentiate itself in the crowded fashion industry through originality and meaningful designs. The trio believes in pushing boundaries and embracing what drives them to work harder. They want their clothing line to promote values of perseverance and self-expression, resonating with a young audience that seeks more than just fashion.
For current participants of the LIT program who aspire to become entrepreneurs, Howard, Dom, and Jaylen have valuable advice. Stay motivated, even when faced with discouragement. Entrepreneurship is a viable path, and the skills and support from programs like CHV’s Leadership Academy can provide a solid foundation. They emphasize the importance of a supportive environment and the need for hands-on workshops that can dispel myths about entrepreneurship and post-secondary options.
Reflecting on their journey, Howard, Dom, and Jaylen are grateful for the experiences and support that CHV provided. They believe that the LIT program can continue to foster future leaders by encouraging multiple pathways to success and providing the right tools to get started.
For those interested in following their journey and supporting Just Dreams Apparel, you can find them on Instagram (justdreamsapparel) or visit their website https://justdreamsapparel.com/.
Each of these young men maintain their brand while pursuing various forms of postsecondary success: Howard, a Psychology major at Dartmouth; Dom, a Communications student at Emerson College; and Jaylen, a Radiology Technician from Massasoit.
This article first appeared in the Boston Globe and was co-authored by Camp Harbor View Chief Executive Officer Sharon McNally and chair of the board of the Yawkey Foundation John L. Harrington.
BOSTON (The Boston Globe) – Boston is a hub for excellence in education, innovation, creativity, sports, and connection. But every great city must evolve to thrive in changing times. Such change entails dedicated leadership and investments across many sectors — public, private, philanthropic — to close the gaps to opportunity. Since its inception in 2007, Camp Harbor View has been fulfilling its mission to provide Bostonians and their families one-of-a-kind summer camp for students in grades 6 through 8, year-round leadership development for students in grades 9 through 12, and comprehensive family services, including college and career planning, scholarships, clinical support, and resource coordination — all at no cost to families.
Much has been said about the loss earlier this year of Camp Harbor View cofounder Jack Connors. He was many things to many people, but there is an important common thread pulled across his many endeavors. Jack invested in youth, in families, in communities, and in the potential of every individual in Boston to have the resources and support to achieve their aspirations.
As two people who were privileged to be close to Connors, we know that he would want us to move ahead with what he had placed in motion, and that’s why our two organizations — Camp Harbor View and the Yawkey Foundation — are doubling down on the investments Connors made in the next generation of our city’s leaders.
In the months before his death, Connors was in discussions with the Yawkey Foundation about how to make sure that his investment in Boston’s youth continued to spin off dividends for generations to come. The foundation, perpetuating the philanthropic legacy of Jean and Tom Yawkey, who were owners of the Red Sox, was a natural partner in this goal — Camp Harbor View and the Yawkey Foundation share a mutual commitment to providing young adults with opportunities for out-of-school time and the Yawkey Foundation has provided more than $800,000 over 15 years in support of Camp Harbor View’s teen programs.
Connors and John Harrington, chair of the Yawkey Foundation, carried out their strategic planning over hot dogs at Sullivan’s Castle Island — yet Connors soon learned that he would have less time than he had expected to continue these conversations to map out the long-term plan for the camp.
While many people are aware of its iconic summer camp in the Harbor Islands, few are familiar with the fact that the camp operates after-school and weekend leadership and social-emotional development programs from a modest space in the South End, specifically for teens who are part of the camp community. These year-round programs have been making a difference in the lives of campers, and campers’ families, long after the youth have aged out of the traditional summer program. Yet there’s a wait-list of teens who want to get involved and countless opportunities to grow. It’s clear that the organization needs a new home base, and that was a priority project for Connors that, sadly, he was unable to accomplish. This is where the Yawkey Foundation has decided to step in.
With a $7.5 million grant announced Wednesday, the foundation is helping Camp Harbor View move all of its year-round operations to a space in the Southline Building in Dorchester. Convenient to various modes of public transit and bringing the totality of the camp’s programs and resources under one roof, it will be a game changer for thousands of Boston teens and families. This new space, this hub of year-round youth enrichment, will be named The Connors Leadership Academy. Fittingly, the academy will ensure that all the youth and family programming that Connors invested in when he created the camp will be sustained over generations to come.
Camp Harbor View is not just a camp. It’s a community of teens and families building a more inclusive, equitable, joyful, and connected next generation for our city. From summer camp to year-round leadership workshops and after-school programs, to college prep, college scholarships, and guaranteed monthly income for families — its mission is to be the holistic partner families need to achieve the kind of economic mobility and opportunity that propelled Connors from his humble beginnings to the privilege of being among the many community leaders determined to create a better Boston for all.
Here’s to delivering on Connors’s vision for investing in Boston’s children. And here’s to a new home — a welcoming, supportive, and resource-rich harbor — for Camp Harbor View and its programs so it may continue to provide opportunities for future generations of our great city.
The whole of Boston is mourning the death of Jack Connors. And for those of us who worked with him every day, as I did for 17 years, we are trying to find our footing in a world without him. There are lessons from his approach to life that will serve us well as we seek to continue his legacy.
There has been much written about Jack’s immense generosity, his leadership, his business acumen and boundless energy for making positive change. It would be tempting to think that all of it came easily to him, that he was a born natural and destined for success. That would give the rest of us an excuse. But Jack would — and did — proclaim that he was anything but a natural. He spoke often about having been a “late bloomer” and a proud member of the bottom half of his graduating class in college. Was he charming? Yes, he sure was. But I have never known anyone who prepared so assiduously for every challenge, whether making a pitch for a philanthropic gift, introducing the president of the United States at a fundraiser, or preparing a gift basket for an ailing friend.
Jack’s standards were high, for himself and for the rest of us. Speeches were drafted, edited, rehearsed out loud, rejected, tossed, and started again from scratch. The final draft was never truly final, because when it came time to deliver it, there was something that had occurred to Jack before it was time to speak — often something funny — and it was incorporated at just the right place with just the right timing. Even the joke lines he used over and over again somehow remained hilarious.
The author, center, with Jack Connors and former Mayor Marty Walsh in 2019 at Camp Harbor View. (Courtesy Camp Harbor View)
A self-reported terrible athlete (though he did ski, play golf and tennis and finish three Boston Marathons), the sport Jack truly excelled at was fundraising. He was organized, determined and bold when it was time to raise money for a cause or organization that mattered to him.
Many years ago, when Sen. Ted Kennedy asked if he would consider raising $100 million for what became the Edward M. Kennedy Institute, Jack approached the task like it was a military campaign. He divided the world of corporate prospects into sectors and identified a captain for each one. The strength of his relationships and the goodwill he had earned over many years of just “being Jack” along with a disciplined goal setting and reporting structure resulted in a collegial and effective fundraising machine that produced the EMK Institute that stands next to the JFK Library on Columbia Point.
There were no days off for Jack. Camp Harbor View, which was founded in 2007 as a summer camp and now engages 1,000 Boston kids and their families year round, was near and dear to him. He never missed an opportunity to promote the camp to a new acquaintance; he was never at a loss when someone asked what they might do for him.
Once we met his initial goal of creating a safe and beautiful place for city kids, he moved the end zone. He wanted us to do more, be better, think more creatively about meeting needs, removing barriers and creating opportunity. Thanks to his relentless pursuit of additional resources and support, the scope of Camp Harbor View’s work has broadened to become much more than a summer camp. As Jack proudly said at the 2024 Beach Ball on June 8th, we are now “a social equity organization.”
[Jack] was also a quiet source of support and solace for countless people who stumbled into a place of need for one reason or another. Compassion and generosity were his reflexes.
Jack was known for his huge contributions to the fabric of Boston, but he was also a quiet source of support and solace for countless people who stumbled into a place of need for one reason or another. Compassion and generosity were his reflexes. He wrote rent, mortgage and tuition checks; he found a hospital bed for your child or your mother when none were available; he dispensed career advice to newly minted college graduates and stuck-in-a-rut mid-career folks; he listened to new business pitches and even made forays into marriage counseling. It was never a one size fits all approach. He tailored his assistance to the needs of the individual involved, and he didn’t lose track of people — he followed up to be sure that the situation was improving; he was relentless in finding a solution.
Working for Jack was challenging in all the right ways. His call list was endlessly long, his inbox bursting at the seams, and there was always a line outside his door, which is exactly how he liked it. His standards were high, and he expected a lot. His boundless imagination and creativity made for some difficult assignments, a few of which you just hoped he’d forget about. He never did forget, but there were a few times when he would finally agree that an idea was just a little too crazy and he’d say, “okay, uncle, you’re right, forget about it.” These victories were few, but sweet and filled with relief.
The ethos of the Connors Family Office and Camp Harbor View, a blended and close-knit team, is one of service and thoughtfulness, because that is what Jack modeled for us. His gratitude for a job well-done was profound. He thanked us, in words and deeds, constantly for our work — and he made sure we had fun. There were office scavenger hunts, gingerbread house contests, barbershop quartets, musicians, magicians, karaoke, birthday serenades, wine and cheese parties, first day-of-spring daffodils, restaurant feasts and catered birthday lunches. We celebrated everything: a fundraising milestone, a work anniversary, a warm winter afternoon. Jack used to say, tongue in cheek, that we couldn’t allow ourselves to be jaded. We didn’t, and we won’t. We embraced the champagne toasts, the thrill of success, the euphoria of being part of a winning team.
Our coach worked harder than anyone we knew. Jack was in the office nearly every single day until the end, and he inspired us to be always our best. He told us all the time that he loved working with us and that he loved every one of us. We loved him back tenfold.
A funeral mass for Jack Connors will be held at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, July 30 at St. Ignatius of Loyola Church in Chestnut Hill. A livestream of the service is available here.
It is with deep sorrow that we announce the passing of our Co-Founder and Chairman, Jack Connors, Jr., who died this morning from pancreatic cancer. Giving proof to his claim that he would never stop working for the causes that meant so much to him, it was only on June 8th at the Camp Harbor View Beach Ball that he announced a record-breaking fundraising total of $13.4M, most of which was Jack’s own handiwork. He turned 82 the following day.
When then-Boston Mayor Tom Menino asked Jack in 2006 for help with keeping middle school kids safe and happy in the summer, Jack tapped into his creativity and resourcefulness to imagine a beautiful summer day camp on an island in Boston Harbor, and Camp Harbor View was born.
Jack envisioned a pristine campus where kids could swim, sail, play sports, make new friends, and see a future filled with possibilities. As you know, that vision is now a reality.
Every day since the camp opened in July of 2007, Jack has challenged all of us to be imaginative, and to work hard to partner with kids and families in the Camp Harbor View community. He has been relentless in his drive to provide us with all the resources necessary to do our work, and as a result, Camp Harbor View has become much more than a summer camp.
It’s hard to imagine Camp Harbor View (or in fact, Boston) without Jack, but our promise to him and to you is that we will endure, we will thrive, and we will maintain Jack’s standards of excellence in everything we do. He would expect nothing less of us and we will never let him down.
So many Bostonians have wonderful memories of interactions with Jack and inspirations from his lifetime of service and generosity. We invite you to join us in sharing a message or memory here:
We talk a lot about racial equity at CHV. And it’s a term we hear all the time—it shows up in the work we do, the media we consume, the news we watch, and sometimes even at the dinner table. But what does it truly mean? And how can we make real progress towards that goal?
We’re proud of the impact our programs have in Boston, but we know we don’t have all of the answers. Far from it.
So we recently posed a big question to the people of Boston — and we plastered it on billboards and across social media. “How can we make racial equity real?”
And you responded! Not only did you respond, but you embarked on deep, meaningful discussions with those around you. We appreciated seeing so many diverse perspectives from our community — here are a few of the thoughtful answers we got:
“Learn together about how to talk to each other about racism and the history of racism in Boston.” — Giselle F.
“Build and provide access to affordable, fresh nutrient filled food in EVERY Boston community.” — Sandra K.
“We need to make sure every civic and business investment we make has racial, social, and environmental equity at its core.” — Matt K.
This is a city (and a country) with a complicated, troubling racial history. We aren’t going to reach equity overnight. But if we take concrete steps together we can keep moving in the right direction. We’re here for it. Are you with us?
Camp Harbor View announced a new three-year partnership with Biogen and the Biogen Foundation to promote the wellbeing of more than 200 Boston families by helping address social determinants of health through increased food security, more equitable access to clinical mental health resources, post-secondary education, and career development pathways.
The Biogen Foundation’s support will bolster Camp Harbor View’s Family Health Initiative, a holistic approach to youth development that empowers Boston’s next generation leaders and furthers positive economic, social and health outcomes. This funding will make it possible for Camp Harbor View to connect teens and their families to greater food security, one-to-one clinical health services, social-emotional learning, and skill building and career development opportunities. As part of this relationship, participants also have the opportunity to explore the field of life sciences by visiting Biogen’s CoLab, a community space offering life science training from employees and leading local educators. The Biogen Foundation’s commitment will also establish and fund annual Biogen Scholars, awarding three graduating high school seniors with $40,000 scholarships to pursue their post-secondary plans.
“We are grateful for Biogen’s leadership on key health equity initiatives. Social emotional learning, clinical support, and food security are essential wraparound support that promote economic and social mobility,” Camp Harbor View CEO Sharon McNally said. “Partnering with, and trusting in, Boston families, this is a meaningful investment in the next generation.”
“Biogen believes that everyone deserves access to a supportive ecosystem that enables them to live the healthiest, fullest life possible,” Biogen Vice President of Asset Development and Portfolio Management and the Chair of the Biogen Foundation’s Board of Directors Teresa Cachero said. “This partnership with Camp Harbor View reflects our credo of caring deeply, and it will enable us to provide assistance in many aspects of a family’s life, from social to health.”
The partnership, inclusive of Biogen sponsorship for events, will total $500,000.
– About Camp Harbor View: Established in 2007, Camp Harbor View (CHV) is a youth-centered, multi-service organization with year-round programs that address the long-term wellbeing and economic mobility of underserved Boston youth and their families. Our shared vision is an inclusive, equitable Boston where every young person and family has the opportunity and resources to succeed. To pursue this vision, we offer free, high-quality summer camp and year-round programs, nurturing deep relationships and empowering a thriving community of future leaders and their families. Additional information is available at www.campharborview.org.
About Biogen Foundation: Established in 2002, the Biogen Foundation seeks to advance better health by collaborating with high-impact partners in local communities. Through the Foundation, we strive to make an impact beyond our medicines, focusing our grantmaking on equitable access to healthcare by strengthening health systems and providing access to nutritious food, a critical social determinant of health. For more information, please visit: www.biogen.com/company/biogen-foundation.
Have you seen CHV’s new billboards around town? Well, now you’ve at least seen a photo of them right here. I am somebody who likes to speak my mind, and I am so proud to be part of an organization where we say the important stuff out loud.
Our new billboards around Boston are aiming to amplify and continue conversations that many of you are having around this city. What does racial equity look like, really? How do we go beyond a ‘level playing field’ and all of the other platitudes we hear all the time, and make true, lasting progress toward a Boston where we see equitable outcomes for all. Where the color of your skin or the neighborhood you live in don’t dictate your opportunities (or your health, or your safety, or your housing… you get the idea).
We’re quite proud of what we’re building at Camp Harbor View — our free summer day camp is heading into its 17th summer, our year-round Leadership Academy is thriving, and our Guaranteed Income Program is accelerating economic mobility for families with cash payments. But of course we don’t have all the answers, and we can’t do it alone.
We’re so grateful to this community for all of the support of CHV’s teens and families, and to everyone working hard to pursue breakthroughs for equity in Boston.
New data released this week by Camp Harbor View show that direct cash payments to Boston families are having a transformative impact on nearly every aspect of their lives.
The Boston Globe covered the new data in an article on Nov. 8th — read it here.
It has been just over a year since two nonprofits, Camp Harbor View and UpTogether, teamed up to launch a privately funded $800,000 guaranteed income pilot program. The program provides 50 Boston households $7,000/year for two years, distributed in monthly payments of $583. These families are able to use the funds however they choose and do not need to pay it back.
Evaluations of survey data from the first year of the program provides strong evidence that cash payments to families helps them relieve economic stress, achieve stability, and invest in growth. The pilot also tracks a group of families who are not receiving funds in order to understand the qualitative and quantitative impact of the pilot.
Initial data show that:
Families receiving the payments are 40% less likely to have unmet household needs than the group not receiving payments (eg. child care, heating costs, or dental care)
During the first year of the pilot, families receiving payments reduced their risk of distress by 23%, while families not receiving payments had an 11% decrease.
Families receiving payments are more likely to…
Be able to pay bills
Save money consistently
Have over a month’s worth of income saved for an emergency
Pay for household needs like transportation, groceries, and childcare
Tierra Lyons, a parent in the program, said joining the program was a “no brainer” and that the monthly income has helped to stabilize her family’s finances and allowed her to save toward a down payment for a house.
“I had just never experienced this level of radical generosity. Now I can put all of my time, my energy, my resources into just supporting my family because I know that I’m supported as a parent,” Lyons said.
Camp Harbor View Executive Vice President Lisa Fortenberry said the early results are very encouraging — but not surprising.
“It’s an idea that seems too obvious to be as groundbreaking as it is,” said Camp Harbor View Executive Vice President Lisa Fortenberry. “People know what they need to support a healthy family, and with trust and partnership, they can make changes that lead to better physical and mental health, better housing, and education and career paths.”
Today, we’re proud to launch a campaign called “Ready to Run” featuring young people from our programs on billboards and on video screens across the city of Boston and suburbs.
Highlighting CHV’s partnership with Boston teens and families, the campaign will feature on two billboards on the Southeast Expressway (I-93), at Boston Logan Airport, across other transportation hubs and shopping centers across the metro area along with digital media.
We’re also launching a new short video about our work — including summer camp, the Leadership Academy, and our partnerships with families on guaranteed income and economic mobility.
Our goal with this campaign is to introduce Camp Harbor View to a new generation of Bostonians and raise awareness across Greater Boston about the impact CHV is having every single day. Like the billboards say, these young leaders are ready to run this town — and we’re ready to do everything we can to make that happen.
Boston, MA – Camp Harbor View is proud to be one of 140 local nonprofits to receive an annual grant through Cummings Foundation’s $25 Million Grant Program. CHV, a Boston-based organization, was chosen through a competitive review process, with a total of 580 applicants. Camp Harbor View will receive $1,000,000 over 10 years.
“Through Guaranteed Income we are investing more deeply in Boston families with whom we partner and this substantial commitment will be transformative as we work to promote social and economic mobility and long-term financial sustainability,” said Camp Harbor View Executive Director Lisa Fortenberry. “With this grant, Cummings Foundation is demonstrating their commitment to equity and opportunity for every Bostonian. We’re very grateful for their confidence and conviction in this important work.”
The Cummings $25 Million Grant Program supports Massachusetts nonprofits that are based in and primarily serve Middlesex, Essex, and Suffolk counties.
Through this place-based initiative, Cummings Foundation aims to give back in the areas where it owns commercial property. Its buildings are all managed, at no cost to the Foundation, by its affiliate, Cummings Properties. This Woburn-based commercial real estate firm leases and manages 11 million square feet of debt-free space, the majority of which exclusively benefits the Foundation.
“We are so fortunate in greater Boston to have such effective nonprofits, plus a wealth of talented, dedicated professionals and volunteers to run them,” said Cummings Foundation Executive Director Joyce Vyriotes. “We are indebted to them for the work they do each day to provide for basic needs, break down barriers to education and health resources, and work toward a more equitable society.”
The complete list of 140 grant winners, plus more than 900 previous recipients, is available at www.CummingsFoundation.org.Cummings Foundation has now awarded more than $375 million to greater Boston nonprofits.
Paige, a CHV group leader, enjoys some hugs and laughs from her campers.CHV Deputy Director Josh Waxman laughing with one of more than 200 year-round Leadership Academy participants.
About Camp Harbor View: Partnering with 1,000+ young Bostonians and their families each year, Camp Harbor View offers a one-of-a-kind summer camp for kids in grades 6-9, year-round leadership development for teens in grades 9-12, and comprehensive family services, including college and career planning, scholarships, and clinical support — all at no cost to families. About Cummings Foundation: Woburn-based Cummings Foundation, Inc. was established in 1986 by Joyce and Bill Cummings and has grown to be one of the largest private foundations in New England. The Foundation directly operates its own charitable subsidiaries, including New Horizons retirement communities, in Marlborough and Woburn, and Cummings Health Sciences, LLC. Additional information is available at www.CummingsFoundation.org.
