Dream Oaks Camp

Our mission is to celebrate the abilities and develop the strengths of children with special needs and chronic illnesses ages 7-17 by collaborating with families to provide individualized result-based goals, family support, and recreation in a camp environment. We provide a year-round quality results-based programs that focus on each child’s abilities and are specifically designed to strengthen their social skills, learn new life skills and develop a more comprehensive profound skillset. Staff are dedicated to planning and modifying strategies for each session to include the participation of all children, regardless of physical, medical or emotional challenges.


Key Approach: As the child attends our program, parents collaborate with staff to identify 2­targeted goals for the child to progress towards while at camp. By focusing on each child’s strengths and abilities, staff members integrate these goals and facilitate campers’ success through participation in a variety of unique adaptive camp activities. Because of our high caliber staff training and low camper to staff ratios of 3:1 or better, each child is able to receive a high level of individualized care and support, so that they are able to engage in activities, learn new skills and develop productive behaviors while having a blast.
By progressing towards and meeting the individualized, result-based targets agreed upon, children will develop a more comprehensive skillset and productive behaviors, enabling them to sustain a higher level of employment, better communicate their needs and wants to families/teachers/employers, retain meaningful relationships with peers, and greater contribute to the overall family unit.

Dream Oaks Camp not only benefits the children we serve, but gives parents/caregivers extended, overnight respite during which they can do something for themselves or other family members, rest, and take care of other tasks/responsibilities. As a result of this respite, parents/caregivers return at the end of the program session feeling physically and emotionally recharged, improving and sustaining not only their own health and wellbeing, but the health and wellbeing of the overall family unit. Our data shows that families that utilize this respite experience improved their quality of life (for both family members and the child), which is proven to reduce the risk of abuse/neglect, as well as delay out-of-home placements.