Camp Homeward Bound: A Summer Home for Children from Homeless and Domestic Violence Shelters

Camp Homeward Bound: A Haven for Children

• 🏡 Camp Homeward Bound in Haverstraw, New York, provides a crucial summer experience for children from homeless and domestic violence shelters.
• 💡 For many campers, the camp serves as their only home during the summer months, offering a sense of stability.

Personal Journeys and Resilience

• 👧 CeCe Johnson, a 17-year-old counselor, first attended as an 8-year-old camper, finding the camp to be a temporary home during her own shelter experience.
• 🧠 She emphasizes that the confidence gained at camp has stayed with her, inspiring her goal to become a pediatric neurologist.
• ⚠️ Camp director Beverly McInterer notes that some children experience abuse and can lose their childhoods while in shelters for extended periods.

Childhood Rediscovered

• 🚴 11-year-old Elijah Martinez highlights the comfort and connection found at camp, where he can train and be with friends, unlike his living situation.
• ✨ Activities at camp focus on character building, encouraging traits like courage and helping campers build themselves up.
• ✅ The camp provides a vital opportunity for children to reclaim a part of their childhood, offering togetherness and confidence-boosting activities.

Returning to Reality

• 🚌 After two weeks, campers return to their lives in New York City, but the positive impact and confidence gained at camp often remain.
• 💖 The camp's mission is to let kids be kids, providing an environment where they can experience closeness and togetherness, despite challenging circumstances.