CALLER: Is there such a thing as financial assistance for camp? I was talking with my sister-in-law recently and she was about to put in an application for her daughter. Our children are cousins, both 12 years old, and I would love for them to go to camp together. We live close together; my family is in Gibson County and hers is in Carroll County. My daughter has a disability, and her cousin kind of looks out for her. They have such fun together. But the camp is on the pricey side for our budget. I no longer work fulltime because of my daughter’s needs and schedule. I keep thinking about having some time to myself — camp for her would sure be a welcome break for me. But isn’t it really too early to be committing to summer camp plans?
PATHFINDER: It really is not too early to plan for camp! And yes, there is some financial help for eligible summer campers.
I bet you know that old saying … when you fail to plan, you plan to fail. And I bet you know the one about the “early bird.” Well turns out, early in the year is really the best time to be looking at summer camp options, because camps can fill up fast, especially those which have special programs and accommodations for campers with disabilities. Applications have to be filled out, schedules and transportation have to be figured out; medical forms sometimes have to be sent to the primary care physician to be filled out. And when extra steps are needed to secure some financial assistance, an early start is essential. Some camps have “scholarships,” and those typically go fast to the first eligible seekers.
When you first contact a camp, ask them if they have financial assistance and how to apply. Besides those private grants from the camp or foundation that runs the camp, the Family Support Program and the Tennessee Respite Coalition may be able to help.
Dollars from the state-funded Family Support program can be used to pay for camps for persons with significant disabilities, and for transportation to and from the camp. If your child is eligible, the program can assist with a number of disability-related expenses. There is an application process, and there may be a waiting list, and all of the money may already be spent for this fiscal year. But if you don’t get in line and on a wait list if necessary, you won’t ever make it to the head of the line, so to speak. The Family Support office for Gibson County is located in the Tarp Center for Independent Living in Paris. The application – for you to download, print, fill out, and return — is on their website, and accessible through their listing in Pathfinder.
Family Support Program, Tarp Center for Independent Living
Parents from other counties interested in the Family Support Program can Call Pathfinder or use our online database themselves to get the listing for the local office serving any of the 95 Tennessee counties.
The Tennessee Respite Coalition has a voucher program which can also help defray camp expenses or pay for a respite provider. Coalition details are online, and even if funding is not currently available, they ask folks to go ahead and apply, as unmet needs will help them with their ongoing fundraising efforts. Call their statewide helpline 888-579-3754 to start an application.
| Questions and scenarios found in the Call Pathfinder column represent questions received by Pathfinder but are not taken from actual Pathfinder calls. Actual resource information provided varies based on the specific situation and needs of each individual. |