Camp Fire USA
6th Ward Urban Center
135 West Buttonwood Street
Reading, PA 19601
Phone: 610.372.7007
Fax: 610.372.7014
The Urban Center is Adahi Council's headquarters for at-risk and non-traditional Camp Fire programming. Strategically located in the heart of the 6th Ward in Reading, the Urban Center specializes in programs and activities that focus on children who are at-risk due to social, economic or physical barriers. In addition to providing unparalleled small group programming designed for this special environment, Adahi Council has the capacity to merge both the urban and rural environments through our camping and environmental education programs in Brecknock Township, PA, as well as the council's Self-Reliance and Club programs.
The A*S*K* (After*School*Kids) program is co-educational, school or community center-based, and specifically designed to serve both at-risk and main-stream youth. This program is based on the philosophies and standards of Camp Fire USA, recognizing prevention as an active process of creating conditions and fostering personal attributes to promote personal well-being. A*S*K* provides a variety of Camp Fire programs, homework help, mentoring opportunities, and service-learning projects.
The mission of A*S*K* is to ensure a fun, safe and healthy experience for youth, from the most fortunate to the most forgotten. We seek to inspire youth to be capable of caring for themselves, for their community and for the future which is theirs to create. A*S*K programs are being presented at numerous sites in Reading, PA including the Camp Fire USA 6th Ward Urban Center. A*S*K also runs in various sites throughout Berks County. A*S*K participants who attend sites throughout the urban area receive scholarships to attend Camp Adahi Day and Resident programs each summer.
Non-Traditional Club looks the same as any Camp Fire USA club program; the difference is the funding approach. In 1998, Adahi Council recognized the need for youth to be able to participate in all aspects of our club program without the worry of costs that were involved. Club leaders were telling the council that youth were not able to join club program because they did not have the necessary dues, uniforms and/or books. This funding source allows leaders to apply for help for the youth they feel would benefit from the program. Also, some after-school centers and area churches are hosting Camp Fire club programs at their sites with help from the non-traditional club budget.
Community Family Club (CFC), a subcategory of non-traditional club, is designed to increase opportunities for parents and other caring community adults to volunteer in activities that allow them to interact positively with children and teens. CFC is open to siblings of all ages, infants through teens. As with all Camp Fire programming, CFC is also asset-based with well-defined, measurable outcomes for both youth and adult volunteers.
CFC creates a strong partnership with corporations, schools, faith communities, child care settings, and other community organizations to advance the needs of children, youth and families. Community Family Club offers parents a unique opportunity to find a community support group for raising their children and provides for positive family interaction, built around experiences and activities that are structured, educational and fun. Presently, there are 9 active CFC's throughout Berks.