In 2020, the documentary “Crip Camp” took the country by storm. It told the story of the now-defunct Camp Jened, a summer camp for kids with disabilities, and how those campers (including the late Judy Heumann) became the frontline changemakers of the disability rights movement. Watching the documentary, which won an Oscar for Best Documentary Feature, it’s easy to see how the environment of Camp Jened fostered disability pride and culture. That in turn led to some of the most revolutionary gains the disability rights movement has made in the last 50 years, including the signing of the Section 504 regulations of the Rehabilitation Act, and the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act. While Camp Jened may not be around anymore, there are still plenty of camps for kids with disabilities in the Mid-Atlantic area. Whether you’re looking for a sleepaway camp or a day camp, camaraderie or just plain old fun, there’s a camp on this list for every disabled child (and a few that accept adults, too!).
Sleepaway Camps
Southampton Fresh Air Home (SFAH)
“We’re the fresh air home, the mighty mighty fresh air home!” can be heard echoing through an unassuming Southampton, NY neighborhood every summer. Originally founded in 1901, SFAH’s mission has grown and changed over the last 124 years, from serving children with bone tuberculosis in the early part of the 20th century to its current clientele of children with any physical disability ages 8-18 (occasionally accepting older campers for special programs). Though SFAH now operates as a year-round center for children and teens with physical disabilities, with life skills instruction, weekends at SFAH, and day outings, its flagship program is still summer camp. As a SFAH alumnus, I can confidently say that SFAH was the first place I felt truly accepted for who I was, and many of my friendships from camp continue to this day, almost twenty years after my first summer at camp.
Rising Treetops at Oakhurst
Rising Treetops at Oakhurst, located in New Jersey, (formerly Camp Oakhurst) was founded in 1906 as a Summer Home for children who attended The Crippled Children’s East Side Free School in Manhattan. Similarly to SFAH, it now serves children all year round. Unlike SFAH, Rising Treetops at Oakhurst serves a more general population of children and adults with disabilities, including autism-specific sessions. Oakhurst alumnus Alejandra Ospina remembers it fondly: “I was at Oakhurst for three summers. I found community and acceptance there before anywhere else, both with my peers and staff who were really kind in a way that the people in my daily life were not.”
Camp Pa-Qua-Tuck
Another long-running New York camp, Camp Pa-Qua-Tuck, has been around since the 1940s. Like many of the camps on our list, it now serves children and adults with disabilities ages 6-50 year-round. Pa-Qua-Tuck allows campers to choose between day camp and sleepaway. Their slate of activities includes swimming, hiking, boating, arts and crafts, music, sports, dances, barbecues, talent shows, campfires, and much more!
Day Camps
Camp ANCHOR
If you live in the Town of Hempstead, NY, chances are you or someone you know attends Camp ANCHOR as a camper or a volunteer. Their six-week summer program is available for town residents with disabilities ages 6 and up. Each camper is assigned to a group with others of similar ages and abilities. Camp runs from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM Monday through Friday at Lido Beach Town Park and includes opportunities like horseback riding and surfing. ANCHOR also offers activities throughout the year.
YMCA Camp
Supported by the Lisa Beth Gerstman Foundation, the YMCA camp at the Cross Island YMCA in Jamaica, NY boasts an inclusive environment. Geared towards children with developmental disabilities, Y Camp includes swimming, arts and crafts, field trips, and more.
There are many more camps for kids and adults with disabilities in the greater NYC area—these are just a few! Camp is a great way to bond with other people with similar disabilities, participate in activities with your peers, and develop independence. Adults who went to camps as kids remember these experiences positively.
As Denise DiNoto, Executive Director of the NYS Independent Living Council, reflects: “Camp was the first time I got to spend time with peers—other disabled kids who (like me) didn’t have peers at home. But at camp, we were on a more level playing field. Everyone needed some type of assistance, and often we worked it out to provide that help among ourselves so we didn’t have to have counselors involved.”
Ready to be part of a fun, empowering community? Let’s look forward to summer and go to camp!