This year has been a difficult and challenging year for many of us. Due to the pandemic, Camp Horizon had to look at different ways to meet the needs of our youth. As research highlights, the pandemic has been especially challenging for foster youth as they have experienced the trauma of isolation, separation and feelings of inadequacy. The pandemic can intensify those feelings for foster youth making it very traumatic and difficult to cope. So while we were not able to do the in-person summer camp and other in-person activities, we were able to adjust to ensure we continued to meet the emotional and physical needs of our foster youth. We adjusted our in-person summer camp to a virtual summer camp. Prior to our virtual sessions, we mailed activites and projects to our youth to complete during the session. Additionally, we held meaningful crucial conversations during these sessions to help them cope with the challenges of the pandemic. Additionally, we provided the youth and families with a safe and socially distant Halloween event, opportunity to take family photos and Holiday gifts.
Our youth and families were very appreciative of the on-going support provided them during these difficult times. Many expressed the support the feel from Camp Horizon is what they hold on to in the ever-changing times. Without the supporters and donors, we would not be able to provide this consistent, supportive, and loving environment that the youth yearn for. You have helped us to continue providing supportive services during the pandemic as well as lay a foundation for our future work. Thank you again for all you have done to help our mission of working to restore dignity and hope to children, teens, and young adults — empowering them to make good decisions and lead healthy productive lives.
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We have wrapped up our Summer Program and Fall Program for the Foster Children we serve! What did we learn? PIVOT!! Circumstances may have kept us from being together at Camp, but we did it Virtually!! We need to spend time together showing support and reinforcing the values we teach - Respect, Responsiblity and Resilience!!
We have 2 programs left for 2020 for the children one in November and our Holiday Get- together in December!
Through our programs, we work to restore dignity and hope to children, teens and young adults who have been abused and neglected -- empowering them to make good decisions and lead healthy, productive lives. Camp Horizon’s overarching goal is to stop the cycle of abuse with the children we serve. Specifically, we are expanding our programs to serve more children and provide additional events and mentoring for our teens and young adults.
Our loyal volunteers and intentional instruction teach children life-skills and provide connections theymay be missing in other areas of their lives.We are finalizing 2021 development programs for older youth 12-18, this will focus on peer-to-peer interaction, life skills, and conitnuity of relationships.
These skills mixed with endless encouragement from the Camp Horizon Volunteers help inspire hope and healing for their futures.
All made possible with your support!!
Dona Nobis Pacem!
Camp Horizon Team!
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This May we honored Foster Care Awareness month. Since 1982, we have grown thousands of children within metro Atlanta’s foster care system into healthier adults. Equipped with knowledge and skills they have learned from Camp Horizon, these former campers will impact their communities in a positive way. Not only will they break the cycle of abuse in their own lives, but they will be prepared to help prevent abuse in the lives of those around them. They will take what they have received from Camp Horizon and grow it into a powerful agent for social change.
We thank you today and always fro supporting the youth we love so dearly!
Join us for the funkiest night of the year as we support abused and neglected foster youth! Our fourth annual fundraiser Foster the Funk will take place February 15th at the Fernbank Museum and feature music from Electric Avenue.
For more information, check out the event website here.
Foster the Funk is Camp Horizon's annual fundraiser where we celebrate the successes of Atlanta foster youth. The critical dollars raised through this event are used to fund our year-round programs for Atlanta's youth in foster care. This programming works to restore dignity and hope to children, teens, and young adults who have been abused and neglected - empowering them to make good decisions and lead healthy, productive lives. The unconditional love and support they receive from trusted adults at Camp Horizon helps emotionally wounded children grow into healthy adults. This allows them to break the cycle of abuse in their own lives and prepare them to prevent abuse in the lives of those around them. Camp Horizon is a safe place for them to grow and be loved providing "family" and connections that are often missing in their lives.
It's been an incredible season!
After wrapping Summer Camp 2019, our fall programming kicked off with new campers, excited volunteers, and high hopes for what was to come.
The first event of the season was the Fall Outing at the Chattahoochee Nature Center. Our campers and counselors reunited for the first time since Summer Camp and after a million hugs, we set off into the beautiful Nature Center to learn about local animals, plants, and waterways. Many of our campers commented it was their first wilderness experience! We spent the day exploring, singing, and sharing a great lunch.
The next event was LDP Weekend. Camp Horizon's Leadership Development Program (LDP) caters to our teen campers and focuses on healthy group activites, leadership styles, and continuation of relationships. A new addition this year was the camper-to-camper mentoring program, where older LDP campers were paired with a first time camper to introduce the weekend. This way older campers take responsibility, and younger campers have an asset to lean on.
With holiday season approaching, we are looking forward to the Wrapping Party and the Holiday Party. Thank you again for all your love and support. You are an incredibly important part of our mission to restore dignity and hope to youth in foster care!
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