About Us
Camp Overview
OCCC is a summer food service program and enrichment day camp for children from 5 rural Vermont communities: Bolton, Huntington, Richmond, Jericho and Underhill. OCCC provides food and fun for the month of July. Campers explore creative activities under the guidance of caring adults. Teens participate as interns and receive leadership training and job experience as junior counselors and culinary interns. OCCC is a valuable resource to families who face a variety of economic and social challenges, helping to level the playing field for children who lack access to opportunities for enrichment and development. OCCC also fosters a strong sense of community where members support and nurture each other through good times and bad. Campers learn that they can make positive contributions to their camp community.
“Because of this program, my daughter was able to have quality time with peers, participate in enrichment activities guided by community members of all ages, and went on field trips. During the four weeks I saw a change in her. She went from a shy child who would not participate in activities to an outgoing, bubbly, confident girl. She continues to talk about her time at camp, sing the songs she learned, and still reads the books she was given. She has told me numerous times that she can’t wait until she is old enough to be a counselor someday.”
– Sarah, a Bolton resident and mother of an OCCC Camper
OCCC History
OCCC was incorporated in 2009, but the summer food program and camp was initiated by members of the Mission Committee of the Richmond Congregational Church over 15 years ago. OCCC is proud to have inherited the mission of feeding local children and providing a safe and caring place for them within the community. OCCC is affiliated with the Vermont Agency of Education Child Nutrition Program. Since 2009, OCCC has grown to meet the needs of the local communities where up to 1 in 4 children may come from a home experiencing food insecurity or other economic stresses that prevent families from providing enriching summer activities such as summer camp. OCCC operates in partnership with the Mount Mansfield Unified Union School District to provide quality programming and activities to help combat the “summer slide” and resulting achievement gap by keeping children ready for school.
General Information
501(c)(3) non profit corporation. Board of Directors annual meeting in October, open to the public. Public File located at 203 Bridge Street, Richmond.
“I learned about who I am, and what kind of talents I have, and what I’m really good at. Before that all had been kind of blocked and stuck inside of me, and it had just been waiting for the camp to be unleashed.”
– Dustin, an OCCC Camper
Susanne Parent, Executive Director
