Some 250 children attended the camp June 25-July 27 before moving with their families to upstate New York to harvest apples, to Maine and Michigan to harvest bluberries or to return to Florida to harvest ground crops.
Many groups, organizations and parishes of the Diocese of Camden collected items and monetary donations for the children.
“Most of these children have no swimsuits, flip flops and towels for swimming,” said Corlis Sellers, liaison to the bishop for the Black Catholic Ministry Commission, who initiated the effort after meeting with migrant education teachers at a Mass for Haitian farm workers that was celebrated in Hammonton on June 15.
“In addition,” she said, “some have outgrown their sneakers and have cut the toes out so their shoes fit them.”
An initial call for donations resulted in a diocesan-wide effort that met the program needs for this year, plus a surplus that is being stored for next year.