Camp CAMP’s summer camp program is a series of six-day, five-night sessions for children and adults, aged 5 to 50 years, with a variety of special needs and their siblings. Currently, Camp CAMP offers 2 one week sessions for kids (5-21) with autism out of the 9 Summer Camp sessions held.
The Summer Camp sessions are held at Camp CAMP in Center Point, Texas. Camp CAMP has 55 acres and includes activities like canoeing on the Guadalupe River, horseback, Aquatic Center, music, sports & recreation, arts & crafts, and outdoor cooking. CAMP modifies traditional summer camp activities to include everyone, regardless of the severity of the CAMPer’s physical or developmental needs. Each CAMPer is assigned to a Tribe based on gender and age with a CAMPer:counselor ratio of 1:1 to 4:1, depending on the need of the CAMPer.
Each of the 9 Summer Camp sessions has varied age requirements and diagnosis guidelines; additional information is available on the 2014 Summer Camp Schedule. Sessions are filled on a first-come, first-served basis. The Summer Camp application becomes available in February.
Camp LIFE is a camp for kids with disabilities and their siblings ages 5-21.
About Camp LIFE
LIFE— it stands for Leadership, Independence and Friends through Experiences, and it’s what embodies the spirit of Camp LIFE, a unique and inclusive camping adventure for children with disabilities and their siblings.
Held twice a year in Burton, Texas at the accessible facilities of Camp For All, Camp LIFE provides recreation for children ages 5-21 and their siblings while offering a weekend of respite for their parents.
History
Texas A&M graduate Sterling Leija (Class of ’02) founded Camp LIFE in 2004 with the support of Dr. Amy Sharp, director of the Family Support Network at Texas A&M University.
Leija’s vision began as part of a self-directed study at Texas A&M University and has now served more than 600 children with disabilities throughout Texas. Camp LIFE is now celebrating its tenth year of operation.
Camp LIFE gives campers the choice to participate in every activity you would see at any other traditional camp. Campers can experience horseback riding, fishing, archery, the zip line and rope course activities, as well as a petting zoo, canoeing, dancing and even karaoke.
The camp is staffed by pre-service special education students at Texas A&M who have the rare opportunity to experience a weekend supporting children like those they will one day serve in the classroom. Availability of a one-to-one counselor to camper ratio ensures that each camper with a disability receives the support he or she needs to fully participate in all activities. Additionally, sibling campers enjoy an extra dose of attention not always available to them when their parents are understandably busy caring for their child who has special needs.
Hope Village is a closed residential community in Friendswood consisting of several homes located on 18 acres across from a golf course. Full-time residential services are available to all individuals whose primary diagnosis is mental retardation and who meet the admission criteria for ages six years through adulthood. Semi-private and private rooms are available and include assistance with the activities of daily living, medication administration, nutritious meals and 24-hour per day supervision and care in one of five homes on the Hope Village campus.
Residents have the opportunity to attend church and Sunday School, bowling, dances, movies, the circus, BBQs at the beach, Astro’s baseball games and various events including the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. Residents may also enjoy our on-campus outdoor pool during summer months and our recreation center year-round. They have an excellent resale shop and cafe. Villagers sell soap and ceramics made in their workshops.
The Hope Village Developmental Center includes a large work training area, fully equipped kitchen,ceramics manufacturing area, computer lab,gift shop and the Village Cafe. This 14,000 square foot building is home to our Day Program which operates Monday-Friday from 8:30 to 4:00.
Day Program
In addition to residential services, Hope Village offers respite care and day care. The day program is an integral part of the Hope Village Developmental Center and is a work program licensed by the U.S. Department of Labor. It is designed to develop self-confidence, healthy work ethics and provide a sense of accomplishment. Villagers receive payment on a piece rate scale for each item they complete and each Villager participating in this program is periodically assessed for skill development and mastery. Contracts for services and work to be performed by the Villagers such as packaging, collating, envelope stuffing, sorting and similar work come from businesses in the surrounding communities. We are always looking for more contracts, so if you have a project that you think we could help with, please call 281.482.1663.
Although a foundation for Hope Village is a nonprofit, Hope Village itself is private pay, about $4,000 / month, and as I recall you cannot place a family member there if there is no one who can evacuate him in event of hurricane, or provide for his basic necessities. In other words, this is not the kind of home you can hope to place your adult child into if there is no one to look after him or drop in from time to time.