By Susan Osborne, CEO, CAMP

Every parent wants their child to thrive, to be happy, and to reach their maximum potential. Yet it is hard for a parent of a child with disabilities to imagine that their child will be able to have typical childhood experiences. Too often, individuals with disabilities—or those who are considered medically fragile—have never had “typical” childhood experiences like swinging, sliding, friends to play with, or the joy of being unconditionally accepted. Attending traditional outdoor recreational activities such as summer camp is not thought of as an option because of the physical barriers faced by the child and the financial barriers often faced by parents. For these reasons and so many more, Children’s Association for Maximum Potential (CAMP) has dedicated over 43 years to this community to ensure opportunities for recreation, respite, and education!  

Due to its extensive programs, CAMP serves not only its campers but also their families, teen/adult volunteers, and healthcare volunteers. We provide respite to hundreds of families who need a break, leadership opportunities to hundreds of teen volunteers, experiential learning to advance healthcare professionals through CEUs. CAMP annually serves over 1,000 individuals aged 5 to 55 years with developmental, intellectual, medical, behavioral, and physical disabilities who are not eligible to apply—or be accepted—by other special needs camps due to the severity of their disability. Camper siblings (ages 5-13) without medical disabilities can attend summer camp and the Parent’s Night Out program. 

Locally known as Camp CAMP, its summer camp sessions are held in Center Point, Texas, on a beautiful 55-acre property located along the Guadalupe River. Campers participate in one of nine one-week residential sessions with traditional camping activities such as swimming, horseback, canoeing, archery, music recreation, arts & crafts, karaoke, and more! CAMP’s cabins are large, climate-controlled, and wheelchair-accessible. CAMP environments are intentionally designed to be safe places where campers can interact in their unique way, giving them confidence to move around safely, and feel more in control while also boosting their self-esteem. 

During summer, volunteer counselors and professional healthcare volunteers serve a minimum of one week (approximately 99 hours), plus a week of training. Volunteers are primary caregivers for our campers, serving as a “buddy” by supporting and assisting their camper as they enjoy camp. The 1:1 camper-to-counselor ratio and volunteer healthcare staff are key to providing a safe, successful experience for the campers. Therefore, CAMP is actively looking for amazing teenagers and young adults (starting at age 16) to volunteer for Summer 2023. Applications for both campers and volunteers are at campcamp.org.  

For young adults who can’t volunteer in the summer, CAMP offers year-round opportunities at CAMP’s age-appropriate outings: Respite Weekends, Spring Break Camps, and Family Weekend Retreats held at Camp CAMP (designed like the summer camp program); Parent’s Night Out enrichment activities in SA area while parents receive respite from childcare responsibilities; and Teen and Adult Day Adventure outings held throughout greater SA area at sporting events, amusement parks, museums, and festivals.  

Donations are welcome at campcamp.org/gifts/. For more info on CAMP, visit campcamp.org; 210-671-5411; campmail@campcamp.org.