Barstow Acres Therapeutic Camp
Tax deductible
Barstow Acres Children's Center Therapeutic Camp
(click here for Camp Brochure )
Summer Day Camp with a Side of Life
Popsicles, swimming, tie-dye t-shirts, and relay races - summer camp essentials. Anger management, social skills and art therapies - our camp extras.
Ask any grown-up who went to a summer day camp to tell you a favorite memory, and he will not be able to stop at one. He will smile, laugh, and shake his head as he strains to remember the name of a counselor all the kids thought was so cool or tell about the most painful bellyflop he ever did. Keep the conversation going, and the smiles and stories will move to elementary school.
Our campers might not have funny camp memories if it weren't for Barstow Acres' Therapeutic Summer Camp ; and they certainly might not smile if the conversation moved to elementary school.
Our campers, between the ages of 5 and 13-years-old, are at-risk children from under-served families. They have behavioral and emotional issues. They struggle with academics, get into trouble at school, and watch their parents worry about them. Some have already been kicked out of community camps.
Barstow Acres Children's Center welcomes these children and offers them a better life through the fun of a summer day camp by integrating therapeutic goals within typical activities. "Arts and Crafts" becomes maskmaking where children paint how they feel on the inside and how they cover it up on the outside. "Sing-a-longs" become raps about feelings, circumstances, and hope. "Skits" become role-playing social skills to practice better ways to handle anger with a final public performance of all they learned.
Our day camp also supports the parents by offering lessons to transfer children's gains into their home. Qualified children will have home visits by specialists.
Life is difficult for our campers and their families. Many of the children have a mental health diagnosis or mandated school support, or both; neither of which covers camp tuition. This campaign asks for enough support to send just 5 kids to camp. Maybe, one day, they will tell a story about their best belly flop ever.
____________________________________________________________
What Does Each Dollar Get?
Tuition pays for staff who are experts in their fields, field trips, special guests, and special supplies. Staff is school counselors, special educators,independently licensed counselors, and college interns - enough of them to keep staff-to-camper ration down to about 1:5. Field Trips include swimming, horseback riding, and park programs; and special guests like a traveling petting zoo and science shows. Specialists include drama teachers, art therapists, play therapists, and college interns.
No one earns much. All have dedicated 4 weeks to these children. Please, help campers attend to benefit from their expertise.
____________________________________________________________
About Barstow Acres Children's Center
Since 2003, Sonia Hinds, APRN, PMH-BC, RPT-S , has provided mental health therapy and related programs to at-risk children and their families through her non-profit organization. In her mission, "to provide mental health services, developmental, and enrichment programs for at-risk children, adults and families," Ms. Hinds started the Therapeutic Summer Camp to provide life skills training within a fun summer camp experience.
About Barstow Acres Therapeutic Summer Day Camp
For children ages 5-13, held for four weeks during the summer. The purpose is to provide therapeutic activities for children with socio-emotional problems. Children identify behavioral goals such as staying on task, responding positively to adults, keeping hands and feet to self and using adaptive coping skills rather than acting out when angry are some examples. Over the years, we have had 20-25 children per week.
Community Recognition
The quality and breadth Barstow Acres' community contributions have been recognized by the Concerned Black Women of Calvert County, the Calvert Collaborative for Children and Youth, and the American Psychiatric Foundation. Recently, Maryland's First Lady, Yumi Hogan, visited after hearing about our great work.
(click here for Camp Brochure )
Summer Day Camp with a Side of Life
Popsicles, swimming, tie-dye t-shirts, and relay races - summer camp essentials. Anger management, social skills and art therapies - our camp extras.
Ask any grown-up who went to a summer day camp to tell you a favorite memory, and he will not be able to stop at one. He will smile, laugh, and shake his head as he strains to remember the name of a counselor all the kids thought was so cool or tell about the most painful bellyflop he ever did. Keep the conversation going, and the smiles and stories will move to elementary school.
Our campers might not have funny camp memories if it weren't for Barstow Acres' Therapeutic Summer Camp ; and they certainly might not smile if the conversation moved to elementary school.
Our campers, between the ages of 5 and 13-years-old, are at-risk children from under-served families. They have behavioral and emotional issues. They struggle with academics, get into trouble at school, and watch their parents worry about them. Some have already been kicked out of community camps.
Barstow Acres Children's Center welcomes these children and offers them a better life through the fun of a summer day camp by integrating therapeutic goals within typical activities. "Arts and Crafts" becomes maskmaking where children paint how they feel on the inside and how they cover it up on the outside. "Sing-a-longs" become raps about feelings, circumstances, and hope. "Skits" become role-playing social skills to practice better ways to handle anger with a final public performance of all they learned.
Our day camp also supports the parents by offering lessons to transfer children's gains into their home. Qualified children will have home visits by specialists.
Life is difficult for our campers and their families. Many of the children have a mental health diagnosis or mandated school support, or both; neither of which covers camp tuition. This campaign asks for enough support to send just 5 kids to camp. Maybe, one day, they will tell a story about their best belly flop ever.
____________________________________________________________
What Does Each Dollar Get?
Tuition pays for staff who are experts in their fields, field trips, special guests, and special supplies. Staff is school counselors, special educators,independently licensed counselors, and college interns - enough of them to keep staff-to-camper ration down to about 1:5. Field Trips include swimming, horseback riding, and park programs; and special guests like a traveling petting zoo and science shows. Specialists include drama teachers, art therapists, play therapists, and college interns.
No one earns much. All have dedicated 4 weeks to these children. Please, help campers attend to benefit from their expertise.
____________________________________________________________
About Barstow Acres Children's Center
Since 2003, Sonia Hinds, APRN, PMH-BC, RPT-S , has provided mental health therapy and related programs to at-risk children and their families through her non-profit organization. In her mission, "to provide mental health services, developmental, and enrichment programs for at-risk children, adults and families," Ms. Hinds started the Therapeutic Summer Camp to provide life skills training within a fun summer camp experience.
About Barstow Acres Therapeutic Summer Day Camp
For children ages 5-13, held for four weeks during the summer. The purpose is to provide therapeutic activities for children with socio-emotional problems. Children identify behavioral goals such as staying on task, responding positively to adults, keeping hands and feet to self and using adaptive coping skills rather than acting out when angry are some examples. Over the years, we have had 20-25 children per week.
Community Recognition
The quality and breadth Barstow Acres' community contributions have been recognized by the Concerned Black Women of Calvert County, the Calvert Collaborative for Children and Youth, and the American Psychiatric Foundation. Recently, Maryland's First Lady, Yumi Hogan, visited after hearing about our great work.
Organizer
Susan Layer-Whelan
Organizer
Prince Frederick, MD
Barstow Acres Children Center, Inc.
Registered nonprofit
Donations are typically 100% tax deductible in the US.
