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.
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.
We’re back in our school-year space in the South End and ready to launch into our 6th year of the CHV Leadership Academy. Weeknight programs and weekend workshops begin this week and we can’t wait to have young people back in the building.
With more than 200 young people in grade 9-12 participating in weekly programs, our Leadership Academy offers a wrap-around model supporting teens and their families through the year. What does this look like?
Grade-specific curriculum from self-discovery and team building to career exploration and college readiness
Social emotional skill building and one-to-one wellness resources
Resource coordination and family services
In partnership with families, we seek to equip young people with the skills to succeed in high school and beyond.
Want to see the Leadership Academy live? We’d welcome a visit, just send us a note.
One of our core values at Camp Harbor View is to center the voices and experiences of our community in everything we do. We see it again and again, when the teens and families in our programs play a meaningful role in shaping our community initiatives, we maximize impact.
The two of us recently had an opportunity to share with the American Camp Association community about our philosophy on centering participant voice and choice, as well as some of the tangible steps we’ve taken as an organization to make this aspiration a reality. Here are the three keys:
Always be learning We believe that to be our best, we must acknowledge the wins while constantly focusing on how we are learning from the participants in our programs. This is easier said than done, and we are working on it.
We’re relentless about inviting feedback and input after our programs, and we’re dedicated to building real relationships so teens and families know we’re really ready to listen, not just check off a box. And we make sure that we don’t rely on just one format or avenue of listening and learning.
• Surveys can be a quick method to hear from lots of folks, but they’re impersonal and might get lost in inboxes. One essential element is to make them easy to fill out and keep them short. One tactic we use is to ask one question after a session: “Did you like this activity?” • There’s nothing like an in-person conversation, but this requires travel, child care, and more.
The key is to offer more than one avenue to engage so everyone has a chance to contribute.
Collect data and review it regularly Our process of becoming a learning organization is ongoing. One of the best ways we’ve instituted this culture change is by collecting data, analyzing it, and adjusting our programs—over and over again.
One of our areas of focus has been to create simple systems to review data regularly and reflect on what we’re learning as a team. A pile of data is useless unless you’re looking at it, and it’s easy to get overwhelmed. A monthly team meeting to review survey results, attendance, and other data is a helpful milestone.
Commit to co-design At Camp Harbor View, we’ve established a Youth Council and Parent Advisory Board. These are new leadership groups in our organization. We are not just asking them for feedback, we are working with them to co-design our programs. We know that if we want to elevate our game and maximize our impact, it will be led with young people and parents walking the journey with us.
Whether you’re also running programs for youth and families or if you’re at a different kind of organization or company, we’d love to hear how you center voice and choice in your culture. Join the conversation over on Linkedin.
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.
From Thanksgiving dinner to gifts at the holidays, this annual tradition seeks to alleviate family stress and bring kids joy. It’s one of our most meaningful programs for families and donors alike, with both experiencing the generosity of spirit in the holiday season.
Take a look at this heartwarming video to see the Camp Harbor View community’s holiday celebrations with over 400 families from start to finish.
Thanks to the generous support of hundreds of donors, partners, and volunteers, we doubled the number of families reached this year, distributing $101,800 in gift cards for parents to use to purchase their children items on their wishlist, bins with household essentials, and festive holiday supplies. Happy Holidays for all of us at Camp Harbor View!
