Lantern Light Camps: Lighting the Way for Kids to Thrive

At The KEY Collective, we are big fans of summer camp. We know camp is about much more than keeping kids occupied while school is out. It gives kids a chance to try new things, build friendships, gain independence, and discover interests they may not have the opportunity to explore otherwise. In a camp setting, kids are encouraged to step outside their comfort zones away from home, solving problems and collaborating with new peers. The confidence gained can be life changing. Research shows these experiences can have an impact that lasts well beyond the summer, into the new school year and throughout their entire lives.

Lantern Light Camps: Helping make summer experiences possible

Lantern Light Camps is a nonprofit summer camp and outdoor education organization on Northwood Lake in Northwood, New Hampshire. They offer day camps and weeklong overnight opportunities for campers. Through traditional summer camp activities on and around the lake, like swimmings, arts, and games, they focus on exploration, skill-building, and community in a supportive environment where campers are encouraged to challenge themselves, embrace new opportunities, and develop appreciation for the natural world.

Summer 2026 was the first year The KEY Collective and Lantern Light Camps partnered to give #areuin? card members easy access to camp scholarships. #areuin? card members receive an 85% discount on all camps, without having to fill out additional financial paperwork or explain why they need a scholarship. In the first summer, five kids utilized the scholarship, and we know that number will grow as our partnership matures.

What access can mean for local kids

Nick Wood, Executive Director of Lantern Light Camps, sees firsthand how impactful camp is for the 282 kids who spent time at camp in summer 2026. He saw daycampers who at the start of the week had a hard time getting dropped off, but by the end of the week had signed up for overnight camp for the following summer. Nick even holds space in the last sessions for kids who attend earlier in the summer and want to come again.

Ray Southworth, Board President, is proud of the low camper to staff ratio. The camp had mental health professionals and a nurse on site to help kids who were struggling with being away from home. Homesickness was one of their biggest challenges, and their staff was there to support the kids who needed a little extra attention.

The kids served by Lantern Light Camps had true transformations during their time in nature with their peers and caring staff members. One caregiver described their child as a kid who often felt life wasn’t fair due to the hardships they had to endure at a young age. After camp, the caregiver expressed how much that changed. Their child came home with a new confidence and a different perspective because of the sense of belonging they found at camp.

Camp can be a starting point for so much more than a fun summer. It’s a new friendship, a new interest, a boost of confidence, or the feeling of belonging. That’s why partnerships like ours with Lantern Light Camps matter. By helping make camp accessible to #areuin? card families, Lantern Light is giving local kids the opportunity to experience all that camp has to offer, regardless of their family’s financial situation. Together, we’re lighting the way for more kids to have a summer filled with endless possibilities.

Learn more about our partnership here.