What is it worth to give a young person the chance to encounter Jesus? If you ask us, it’s worth everything. Every sleepless night spent praying with students at a retreat, and every bug-bite, all summer long.

This Giving Tuesday, we want to offer 650 kids, and 350 students, the opportunity to “come… without money, and without cost” (Isa 55:1).

At our summer camps and student retreats, we get to share the hope of the Gospel and the fellowship of believers with a generation longing for community and struggling with despair. Turning their eyes to the God who loves them, who sees them, and who wants them to know him, is worth every effort we can make.

Financial barriers mean many kids, youth, and students can’t afford to participate in our programming.

We can’t afford to miss out on their presence with us.

Rising economic pressure means, for the average household in Canada, formative experiences like camp may never be a line in the family budget. Similarly, for students already struggling to afford tuition and living expenses, the cost of a retreat that will grow their Biblical literacy and spiritual resilience may be just too high to pay. For international students, many of whom would not have heard the Gospel in their home countries, the cost is insurmountable.

But we know that the price of missing out on chances to unplug from distraction, be present to God, and be steeped in scripture, prayer, and community, is also high.

We want to show families and students that it’s more than worth it! Your generous gifts help us welcome more youth and young adults to encounter Jesus, experience life in Christ-centred community, and to carry that transformation back into their friendships, their studies, their careers, and their families.

If you’d like to give but are unsure if now is the right time, we’re grateful to share that generous donors have pledged to match the first $30,000 donated to InterVarsity’s Giving Tuesday campaign. If you can, give today and watch your donation have double the impact!