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Camps

Below, you will find information regarding camps and respites for developmentally challenged children and adults. Click on the underlined text to view more information.

Online Camp Directory

  • Grown-Up Camps
    Website providing links for Special Needs programs

  • Kids’ Camps
    Website providing links for Special Needs camps

  • The CampPage Guide to Summer Camps
    Search engine for Special Needs Summer Camps

  • Very Special Camps
    Camps & Programs for People with Special Needs

    • Email: info@veryspecialcamps.com
      Website: http://www.VerySpecialCamps.com
      Our Framework & Objectives:
      1. Provide free access to the public & free camper recruitment listing to qualified camps.
      2. House a comprehensive database of special needs camps.
      3. Implement a search engine which is easy to use and allows for a “best possible match”
      Allow the camp community to help shape the direction and evolution of Very Special Camps
  • Thomson & Peterson’s Listing
    Special Needs Summer Programs

Family Retreat

  • BreakAway 2011
    • Location: Lake Yale Conference Center, FL
    • Phone: 407.228.8343
    • Website: http://liftdisability.net/breakaway.asp
    • Lift Disability Network is committed to parting the clouds that obscure the potential of the disability family through a new initiative, Breakaway. This family experience is designed to provide the disability family an experience in recreation, relaxation and spiritual renewal.
    • If you are a family that is engaged by disability, this five day experience is an opportunity for you to see God Lift you above the clouds and see your family Breakaway into new horizons.
  • Special Touch Summer Get Aways

    • Location: Lake Aurora Christian Came in Lake Wales, FL
    • Phone: Office: 321-723-2188; Cell: 321-480-9806
    • Email: trementozzi@specialtouch.org
    • Website: http://www.specialtouch.org
    • Contact: Rev Joe and Ann Trementozzi
    • For this year’s getaway dates http://www.specialtouch.org/getaways
    • This getaway is designed to minister physically, emotionally, and spiritually to people with disabilities. Guests range in age from children to adults both with developmental and physical disabilities. Each day’s schedule is appropriate for each group and is designed with one thing in mind; to allow those attending to experience the best week of the year, to make new friends, to leave with a renewed self-esteem and most of all a new and deeper relationship with the Lord.More information can be obtained at the website (http://www.specialtouch.org/a-day-at-the-beach.html)or by contacting Joe or Ann with any questions. Applications can be downloaded from the website. For those who have a financial need, scholarship money is available on a first come basis.A video of last year’s Florida Get Away can be viewed at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ztt7SLi7j40

Camps for children with all kind of Special Needs

  • Camp Barnabas
    Life-changing opportunities to people with special needs in a Christian camp setting

    • Location: Rt 2 Box 131 Purdy, MO 65734
      Phone: 417-476-2565
      Website: http://www.campbarnabas.org
      Camp Barnabas exists to offer childhood experiences to kids who have been robbed of them by disease or disability. Each summer, Camp Barnabas provides encouragement for literally hundreds of campers, empowering them to live more fully through faith. This spiritual gift of encouragement, the hallmark of Barnabas, one of the least known of Christ’s latter disciples, helps campers face and challenge their disability or illness with courage.
  • Camp Challenge
    Swimming, nature, singing and crafts…there is nothing we cannot accomplish together!

    • Website: http://fl.easterseals.com/site/PageServer?pagename=FLDR_campchallenge
      Fully accredited by the American Camping Association (ACA), Easter Seals Camp Challenge in Sorrento, near Orlando, offers camping programs for children and adults with disabilities.
      Camp Challenge satisfies the need in each of us for outdoor recreation, socializing with friends, and relaxing on a summer vacation.
      During the months of June and July, more than 250 adults and children with disabilities visit Camp Challenge to experience a traditional summer camp. The remainder of the year, campers enjoy respite weekend camps. This program provides a brief get-away for campers, while giving caretakers a test from constant care-giving.
      At Easter Seals Camp Challenge, campers participate in arts & crafts, nature activities, a universal high and low ropes course, music & dancing, outside entertainers, farm animals, and other camp activities.
  • Camp Thunderbird
    A real summer camp experience for people with special needs- Make new friends and unforgettable memories!

    • Location: Apopka, Florida
      Phone: 407-889-4530
      Email: webadmin@questinc.org
      Website: http://www.questinc.org/camp.htm
      At Camp Thunderbird, developmentally disabled individuals from age 8 to 80 enjoy a number of exciting activities. More importantly, they make new friends and learn skills that can help them gain more independence.
  • Cristo Vive International
    Summer Camps fro kids with Special Needs

    • Website: http://www.cristovive.net/camp.html
    • Provide children and youth with disabilities and their families with an opportunity to experience the love of God and faith in Christ through a fun and engaging camp adventure.
  • Easter Seals Respite Camp
    Camp Challenge

    • Location: 31600 Camp Challenge Road, Sorrento, FL, 32776
      Phone: 352-383-4711
      Email:jbryant@fl.easterseals.com
      Website: http://www.fl.easterseals.com
      Easter Seals Camp Challenge respite camp is held monthly and provides a selection of your favorite activities for persons with disabilities ages 6 and up. Camp provides a chance for individuals to socialize with friends, participate in adaptive recreational activities, and foster new independence. Programs and activities are adaptive and age appropriate.The cost is $225 for each weekend, and $450 for each week long program. Price includes lodging, meals, and any activity or program supplies.To be enrolled, campers must meet established respite criteria:
      - Be able to effectively communicate their needs, verbally or non-verbally
      - Interact appropriately with other campers and staff
      - Function in a 1:3 staff to camper ratioDuring our Respite Camp we provide a sampling of both traditional camp activities and a variety of new programs and outside entertainment. Campers may participate in: swimming, arts and crafts, nature, animal farm, sports and games, or our universal challenge course. During our week long programs we offer travel activities to local areas.
  • Foundation for Dreams
    Fun, educational, and recreational experiences at Dream Oaks Camp

    • Location: 2620 Manatee Avenue West, Suite D Bradenton, FL 34205
      Phone: 941-748-8809
      Email: info@foundationfordreams.org
      Website: http://www.foundationfordreams.org/
      The Mission of the Foundation for Dreams, Inc. and Dream Oaks Camp is to provide fun, educational, and recreational experiences in an outdoor camp environment to enhance the lives of children ages 7-17 with physical and developmental disabilities and serious illnesses.
  • SCAMPAR
    • Location: Pasco County, FL
    • Phone: 727-243-6203 or 727-953-5591

Camps for Burn Survivors

  • Children’s Burn Camps of Florida
    A summer camp for kids that are burn survivors

    • Location: P.O. Box 161593, Altamonte Springs, FL 32716-1593
      Phone: 407-461-2228
      Email: healingtheburns@gmail.com
      Website: http://www.campamigo.net
      Who: Any child burn survivor aged 6 to 18, living in North or Central Florida WHAT: A Summer camp for kids that are burn survivors WHEN: Tentatively – July 13 through July 18, 2009 WHERE: Billy Jo Rish State Mark WHY: Giving our Campers the opportunity to bond with their peers.

Children with chronic illnesses

  • Camp Boggy Creek
    A year round camp for children with chronic illnesses

    • Location: 30500 Brantley Branch Rd, Eustis, FL 32736-9596
      Phone: 352-483-4200
      Email: campnurse@boggycreek.org
      Website: http://www.fwww.boggycreek.org/
      Camp Boggy Creek is a year round camp that is non-profit and services children ages 7-16 with serious or chronic illnesses. The camp is free to the child and their families. Funded is obtained through fund raisers, donations, grants and health partners.

Children with Diabetes

Children with physical disabilities

Deaf and hard of hearing children

Mentally challenged community

  • The Special Gathering: Camps

    • Location: PO Box 685 Cocoa, FL 32623
      Phone: 321-632-0130
      Email: rstimson@specialgatherings.com
      Website: http://www.nbbd.com/npr/specialgathering/
      Contact: Richard Stimson
      Holds religious services for the mentally challenged community in conjunction with local Church. Provides advocacy, fellowship, ministry teams, training, education, and publications. Also offers summer camps for children with special needs.