Camille Garro Interiors - Newburyport, MA - Philanthropy
CASTLES for kids
Camille Garro is passionate in her belief that your environment contributes to one's sense of comfort and happiness. This philosophy extends beyond "creating beautiful homes you love to come home to"! Camille strongly believes that everyone deserves a surrounding that enhances the quality of life.
Extending this concept to children is no exception. Camille established "CASTLES for kids" particularly to address this issue. CASTLES (Caring Alumni Supporting The Learning and Enrichment of Students) is an organization that raises money to fund scholarships for at-risk and needy children to attend afterschool programs in her childhood hometown of Revere, Ma.
It all started in 2006, when Camille was realizing that the demographics of Revere had drastically changed since she had grown up there as a child and moved away from home after graduating high school in 1972. The rapid increase in the immigrant community resulted with a high percentage of population speaking English as a second language and a huge increase in the low income bracket. As a result, many of the parents and guardians work at night forcing children to be left unattended at home or on the streets during vulnerable after school hours. Camille rallied her Revere High School friends, with whom she maintained a strong friendship throughout the years, and together they turned their high school reunion into a fundraiser Gala, with 100% of the proceeds going toward scholarships to enable these children to attend the afterschool programs in Revere.
The objective of CASTLES is to support the belief that afterschool programs are critical to the emotional, social and intellectual health of young children. The Reunion Gala was such a success, that in 2007 CASTLES became incorporated as a 501 (c )(3) non profit organization with the intentions of continuing these Galas every year with a different host reunion class. The CASTLES for kids committee is now planning their 4 th Revere Alumni Reunion/Taste of Revere" which will be held Saturday, Nov. 13 th, 2010, in the Topsider Room at Suffolk Downs at 7:00. The generosity of Revere's businesses, alumni and community has resulted in CASTLES having raised over $145,000 year to date from its inception in 2007 and has been responsible for approximately 173 scholarships!
Through this venue, Camille Garro pursues her strong belief that a "rich" surrounding has many definitions. "Every day I realize how blessed I am that I was raised in a loving home that encouraged education and I attended schools in Revere that have excellent teachers to implement this!", says Camille. " I may not have lived in Revere for a while, but I'll always remember my roots. My chance to 'give back to my community' is more than a cliché. Everyone deserves the opportunity to be educated so that they can be empowered to pursue their dreams and goals."
Indeed, Camille Garro proves that safe, enriching and nurturing afterschool programs are another venue to "create beautiful homes you love to come home to".
For more information about CASTLES, please visit www.reverecastles.org . Your donation is tax deductable and can be made to CASTLES p.o. Box 204, Revere, Ma. 02151
