Each year, through Baker Tilly Wishes, the Baker Tilly Foundation provides 15 grants of $10,000 to not-for-profits nominated by our team members. This program makes a powerful difference for these impactful organizations.

Finding light: A summer camp for grieving children

In 2000, a girl named Erin Metcalf passed away at the age of 15 from liver cancer. Recognizing the impact her condition had on her siblings, Erin wished for a way for them to receive support and attention.

Now with 48 locations across the country, Camp Erin was created by the Moyer Foundation to honor her vision of helping kids and teens who have experienced a significant loss in their lives.

Tax associate Jamie Stone passionately volunteers with Camp Erin and has led campers at the Seattle and Los Angeles locations.

"I volunteer because I lost my dad in 2022, and I thought participating in this camp would be a positive way for me to reflect on my loss, while helping others in similar circumstances," she said.

Jamie's time with Camp Erin has helped her appreciate the time she had with her father.

"My dad was my best friend," Jamie said. "Some of these campers are so young, they aren't going to have as many memories of their person when they grow up, so in a way I'm extremely grateful for the time I had with him."

A model for processing grief

Camp Erin provides safe environments for children to connect with others who have experienced a loss in their life. During the overnight camp, the organization provides group activities, carnivals, therapy dogs, ponies and more for children to unwind.

Campers also participate in a luminary ceremony, where they decorate a lantern in honor of a lost loved one and present it to the camp. After creating the lantern, campers release it on a boat that floats to the middle of a lake.

"Being involved with this camp truly changed my life in such a positive way," Jamie said. "I'll continue to be a volunteer with Camp Erin for as long as I can."

Helping young individuals in foster care realize their potential

Audit Manager Ian Gillmeister believes no one should be left behind.

That's why he volunteers with Mission West Virginia, a community-based foster care program aiming to provide every child in West Virginia with a loving family and guidance to make positive choices for a healthy future.

"Children in foster care represent some of the most at-risk members of our society," Ian said. "Mission West Virginia offers an opportunity for these children to realize their potential and achieve success."

The $10,000 grant from the Baker Tilly Foundation went toward the organization's Bridge program, which pairs children and teens with mentors to help them achieve their education goals. More than 300 students participate in this program and receive guidance on academic performance and career planning.

Rooted in a dropout-prevention model, the Bridge program places full-time mentors in high schools across several counties. Mentors coach students and provide opportunities to visit college campuses, work sites and other professional settings.

Ian serves on the Mission West Virginia board as treasurer and helps raise awareness of the organization in his community. He has also coordinated a stocking stuffer campaign in his office for foster children.

The proof is in the numbers

According to Ian, children who participate in Mission West Virginia's Bridge program have a 98.6% graduation rate, and their mentorship efforts have helped foster children secure over $500,000 in scholarships for college.

Thanks to collaborations in local communities, the organization connects students with caretakers, social workers, and community organizations to help remove barriers to academic success.

"This organization and the Bridge program are important to me because it falls in line with Baker Tilly's purpose," Ian said. "Unleashing and amplifying talent is at the core of what we do, and that's exactly what the Bridge program is accomplishing with these kids."

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