CertifiKID Sends 40 Kids in Need to Summer Camp

Recent 'Shark Tank'-Deal Winner Significantly Expands Camp Scholarship Program in Second Year

May 23, 2019

POTOMAC, MD - May 23, 2019 - CertifiKID, a family-focused deal website that provides discounts on kids’ activities and family-friendly entertainment, announced today that it will provide scholarships for 40 kids in need in the Washington, D.C. and Baltimore Metro Areas to attend camp this summer. CertifiKID launched its Camp Scholarship Program last year, sending 24 kids to camp in its inaugural year.

“We are thrilled that we’ve been able to expand our Camp Scholarship Program so significantly in just one year,” said Jamie Ratner, CertifiKID Founder & CEO. “It’s an amazing feeling to be able to send 16 additional kids to camp this summer, and we are tremendously grateful for the generosity of our CertifiKID community that helped make this happen.”

CertifiKID funds 20, $250 scholarships each summer and allows its subscribers to contribute money to the Program during the checkout process on its website. One-hundred percent of what is collected goes toward funding additional scholarships. Scholarship recipients can use the $250 toward any camp purchase on the CertifiKID website, where camps are already discounted up to 50% off.

“Our customers come to us to save money, so it blows me away when I see them make contributions that equal or exceed the amount they’re saving on their purchase. That’s what is so special about this Program; it’s a true community partnership of parents helping other parents,” said Ratner.

Making high-quality summer camp programs more affordable for families has been a major focus of CertifiKID’s business since the beginning, reflecting Ratner’s and her husband, Brian’s (CertifiKID Co-Founder & President), strong belief in the value of summer camp for kids. “Summer camp was a big part of both of our lives growing up and continues to be a big part of our lives today through our kids’ summer camp experiences,” said Brian Ratner. “We know first-hand the tremendous impact camp can have on a child’s confidence, self-esteem, and physical well-being, and we believe every child should have this opportunity.”

Camp is particularly important for children from economically disadvantaged families who lack the resources to provide them with enriching summer experiences, putting them at greater risk for summer learning loss, obesity, and unhealthy and risky behaviors. Summer camp helps bridge the summer learning gap, setting kids up for a greater chance of success in the next school year, and also keeps kids physically active and engaged with less idle time to fall into negative behaviors. Unfortunately, the cost of summer programs, especially speciality camps like STEM, robotics and creative arts, often put them financially out of reach of families whose children would benefit from them most.

CertifiKID is the largest resource for affordable summer camp options for families in its Washington, D.C. - Baltimore Metro Area home base, providing significant savings off the sticker price of traditional day camps, specialty camps, and overnight camps. CertifiKID also offers camp deals in several other major markets across the country, including Los Angeles, Chicago, New York City and Atlanta.

The company’s founders recently closed a $600K investment deal with Kevin O’Leary (a/k/a “Mr. Wonderful”) on ABC’s popular reality show, ‘Shark Tank’, which the Ratners hope will allow them to more rapidly expand this resource, as well as the rest of their family-friendly deals, to parents nationwide. “We couldn’t have asked for a better partner than Kevin O’Leary,” said Brian Ratner.” He shares our passion for saving parents money and truly cares about providing opportunities for families to spend more quality time together making memories.”

Nearly 250 parents and caregivers applied for CertifiKID camp scholarships for their children this year. “It’s tremendously difficult to choose between so many deserving applicants and we take our job very seriously,” said Jamie Ratner. “We get our entire team involved in choosing a pool of finalists and then bring in outside experts to be part of our selection committee.” This year’s scholarship recipients range in age from 4 to 12-years old and represent 12 counties throughout the Washington, D.C. and Baltimore Metro Areas.

To learn more about the CertifiKID Camp Scholarship Program, please visit www.certifikid.com/pages/camp-scholarship.

About CertifiKID
Widely recognized as one of the best deal websites for parents, CertifiKID helps parents provide incredible experiences for their kids on a budget. From family outings and recreation to kids’ summer camps and classes, to children’s theatre and museums, to birthday party packages and family getaways, CertifiKID connects parents with amazing kids’ activities and family-friendly fun in your community – and nationwide – at prices that won’t break the bank. CertifiKID Founder & CEO, Jamie Ratner, has been honored by Washington SmartCEO as one of Greater Washington’s top women business leaders and by the Washington Business Journal as one of the region’s 40 Brightest Young Business Leaders. Read more about CertifiKID’s recent ‘Shark Tank’ appearance here.

Contacts
For press inquiries or to arrange an interview with Jamie and Brian Ratner, please email [email protected].