Residents and nonprofit urge St. Cloud to bridge summer-camp gaps for Hopkins Park children

Stephanie Gilbert, president of Hopkins Heroes, told the St. Cloud City Council that construction at Hopkins Park threatens a summer program families rely on and asked the city to "consider waiving the fees for these 27 children at least for the summer so that no child is left behind while we continue to work towards a long-term solution." (Stephanie Gilbert)

Gilbert said the nonprofit had verified 27 children who depended on last year’s program and that many families could not afford the planned $125–$150 weekly fee. She asked the council for a short-term bridge rather than a permanent subsidy, calling the need a crisis for the working families who depend on supervision, meals and stability while parents work.

City staff told the council they had mapped attendees by walking-distance and verified that only four children still live within the immediate walking radius around Hopkins Park; staff proposed transporting those four to the civic center camp at no cost and holding available spots for 30 days while the city works on broader solutions.

"We wanted to try to use our CDBG funds to allow it to be a potential scholarship or a sliding scale," staff said, but informed council that federal CDBG rules prevented using that money as a scholarship for camp fees. That forced staff to narrow the stopgap solution to the smaller walking-distance area.

Council members and residents discussed multiple near-term and longer-term options: the Masonic Lodge offered use of its facility (insurance the only immediate requirement), private sponsorships and volunteering to staff a temporary site, corporate partnerships, and re‑visiting older grant programs such as the "STARS" program that paid for after-school or summer care in the past. Hopkins Heroes representatives said they would continue private fundraising and provide supplemental supports such as food and supplies.

Several council members said they were sympathetic but cautioned that any program funded by the city must have clear eligibility rules so the city does not create an open-ended commitment. "We can’t just keep adding because once people say ‘Hey, you’re considered a Hopkins kid, then you just get free forever,'" Council member Paul said, urging a defined vetting process for scholarship eligibility.

The council asked staff to hold four spots for children within walking distance and to provide transportation to the civic center this summer. Members also agreed to delay the civic-center registration deadline for 30 days so Hopkins-area families can be reached while staff and council explore funding or volunteer options. The council scheduled a workshop next week to further discuss eligibility criteria, potential private and grant funding, and longer-term policy options.

What happens next: Council members said staff will return with refined options at the workshop, and Hopkins Heroes will continue to pursue private fundraising and submit more detailed documentation on the families who need assistance. The immediate outcome is a transportation and registration-hold recommendation for four children and a 30‑day window for outreach to the other families.

Provenance: The request and the mapping of the four children were described during the citizens forum (start of public comment) and the following council exchange (SEG 492–SEG 1563).