Agape camp fees and our personal responsibility

Choose what fee you are able/willing to pay, bearing in mind that Agape’s work depends on your contribution
 

Agape ended the year 2011 with a heavy deficit, mainly because too many guests chose to only pay the base participation fee, and also due to the number of camp scholarships requested. We would like to share our concern about this situation with you all, because it really has to do with all those who care about Agape’s work and projects.

The financial crisis is hitting us all, and its effects are starting to show on our incomes, increasingly affected by cuts and inflation. It is therefore not surprising that so many people have been forced to pay a lower fee than the usual. Yet, Agape is going through the same difficulties, facing raising costs, funding that is promised and then not issued, and constantly decreasing donations. Therefore, this page not only indicates the different participation fees, but also reminds Agape’s old and new friends about what lies behind the fees system and the importance of sharing the responsibilities and the costs of Agape’s endeavors, which we are all committed to.

The fees system at Agape has always been offered on a sliding scale, in order to try and allow anyone, irrespective of their financial situation, to participate in our activities. Since Agape doesn’t have a capital of its own to integrate the lower fees or the scholarships, though, this can only happen thanks to the mutual solidarity of its friends.

The base fee: the average cost of a day at Agape for 2012 has been estimated at 37 euros. This amount, multiplied for the number of camp days, gives the base camp fee, only covering board and lodging costs but none of the remaining expenses (materials, speakers’ travel refunds, etc.) and does not contribute to the general sustenance of Agape. This means that if everybody paid the base fee, we wouldn’t be able to cover the remaining cost of the organization of a camp, and that this fee doesn’t contribute in any way to the Agape project in general.

The ordinary fee: it is set at an average of 45 euros per day and also includes the camp management costs. Without adding anything, it thus covers the cost of every participant.

The sustainer’s fee: 53 euros per day, is the fee that helps us integrate the base fees and contributes to the “camp scholarships” fund, making it possible for every camp to provide for itself, thanks to mutual solidarity. Without this solidarity, Agape will be able to integrate the base fees for some time, but for how many years is it going to be able to stand a deficit like this year’s?

The enthusiast’s fee: as the name suggests, with 60 euros per day, it invites those who truly believe in Agape to support the idea of a centre that has always flourished thanks to the voluntary work and the free contribution of those who participate in its life.

We are aware that in certain situations, despite our good will, some of us really just can’t even afford the base fee. We would like to be able to keep a fund for camp scholarships (full or partial, so some scholarship recipients can collaborate at least partially), but we can only do that with the combined resources of all of us involved with Agape.

Agape has to remain a place where everyone feels welcome regardless of their means. We are sure that, if we stick together, we will continue to make it possible.