About MVP Basketball Camp
The Mission of MVP Basketball Camp
MVP Basketball Camp is a nonprofit organization affording youth the opportunity to build basketball and life skills in a fun-filled atmosphere that celebrates diversity. Through its Community Outreach Program, MVP and its contributors provide for the attendance of as many economically disadvantaged campers as possible, creating a unique camp environment representing a wide variety of classes and cultures.
Stanley D. Greene, a man who cared deeply about his country and his community, never forgot the fact that his parents could not afford to pay for summer camp when he was growing up. Stan passed away in December of 2009, leaving MVP Basketball Camp as his proudest legacy.
In 1994, Stan interrupted his retirement to found MVP. A former marketing executive and an avid lover of the game of basketball, Stan’s vision was to create the first not-for-profit basketball camp in Westchester County in hopes of extending opportunities to youngsters less fortunate. MVP was immediately recognized as a not-for-profit organization by both the Internal Revenue Department and New York State.
Since its inception, MVP Basketball Camp has enabled over 17,000 boys and girls to improve their basketball skills in a fun-filled environment that celebrates diversity. To this day, no child has ever been turned away due to an inability to pay. In 2005, Stan retired again, but the camp has continued to fulfill his vision under the leadership of Executive Director Noel Muyskens and long-time Camp Director John Nemsick. In addition, Stan’s wife, Gingie, continues to serve on the Board of Directors and her son Andy leads the fundraising efforts for the organization.
MVP Philosophy
MVP was founded with a broad mission, growing out of a belief that in our increasingly fragmented society it is more and more difficult for children from different socioeconomic backgrounds to meet and get to know one another in a relaxed and informal way. MVP is committed to creating a camp experience where children of all races, ethnicities and economic backgrounds can mix, mingle and have fun together through the game of basketball “MVP” typically stands for Most Valuable Player, but at our camp, MVP signifies Most Valued Person because we believe there is so much more to basketball, and for that matter to life, than being the “high scorer.” At MVP, we use basketball to teach goal setting, fair play, leadership, perseverance, working with others from different backgrounds, and making the most of each camper’s individual talents.
By all accounts, MVP Basketball Camp has been extremely successful in instilling these qualities. Testimonials from parents and campers abound, and over the years numerous articles in papers like the New York Times, The Journal News, and the Scarsdale Inquirer have extolled the unique virtues of MVP. Thanks largely to our outstanding coaches, MVP Basketball Camp has realized the promise in Stan’s favorite quote, “The world may be different because you were important in the life of a child.”
Our emphasis on character development unquestionably sets MVP apart from the crowd. But what really makes our camp special is the Community Outreach Program. Since it was founded, MVP has used donations and internally generated funds to allow nearly 4,000 kids to attend camp who would otherwise not be able to afford it. In addition to taking scholarship applications for the program from individual families, MVP has a growing number of partnerships with social service agencies in Westchester County that has enabled children from organizations such as Westhab Family Center, The Boys and Girls Club of Mt. Vernon, The Theodore D. Young Community Center, and Andrus Children’s Center to attend camp.
At MVP, we also believe that the economically disadvantaged are not the only ones who benefit from a week at our camp and we have been proactive in responding to needs in the community. In the wake of the World Trade Center tragedy, we launched in conjunction with the New York City Fire Commissioner the Firefighter’s Fund, a program that allows relatives of firefighters lost on 9/11 to attend camp on full scholarship. In 2005, MVP started a new initiative called Hoops for Troops, which provides relatives of soldiers the opportunity to attend MVP free of charge. In 2009, Hoops for Troops formed a partnership with the Wounded Warrior Project to extend opportunities to the children of those veterans who have been wounded in action.
MVP Basketball Camp is dedicated to continuing a tradition of excellence. We are thankful for the many families that send children to our camp year after year, and we are extremely grateful for our superlative coaching staff and hard-working maintenance crew. Together we will work tirelessly to preserve Stan Greene’s legacy.
