Do special needs summer camps like Camp Lee Mar have scholarship programs?
Camp Lee Mar is definitely a unique experience with its academic program, speech program, daily living skills and so much more. So many children need the Camp Lee Mar experience, but many families are going through very difficult financial situations, especially now, due to COVID-19. Many families can no longer afford camp based on their new financial reality.
The Camp Lee Mar scholarship program has made camp accessible for so many families and continues to do so.
4 TIPS FOR ACQUIRING A CAMP LEE MAR PARTIAL SCHOLARSHIP
Start Early. If you think that you might be eligible for a partial Camp Lee Mar scholarship, start the process as early as possible. Scholarships are limited and are based on individual need, on a first-come, first-serve basis. We have many more families in need of assistance than available funds.
Be Organized. Visit camp during the summer to see the program in full swing. Talk to us about your child’s needs and provide us with a copy of their I.E.P. and any other pertinent reports (speech, OT, PT, developmental pediatrician, etc.) Before both camp and our potential camper families put in the time to get funding in place we want to make sure we are the best possible fit for your child. If we feel we are not, we will be able to suggest other summer programs to you.
Be prepared to work on other sources of funding. Families also need to be prepared to work on funding from various sources if requesting funds from the Camp Lee Mar scholarship fund. Many outside organizations offer summer camp scholarships. Some of the best places to check are your religious organizations (churches, synagogues, etc.), social community organizations, or other organizations your children are involved in. Due to the therapeutic and educational component of Camp Lee Mar many of our campers also receive funding through their school district. We need our parents to be willing to put in the “leg-work” to assure all funding avenues are explored in addition to applying for a partial Camp Lee Mar scholarship.
Respond promptly and be engaged. In order for any of our campers to attend camp we require several forms and documents on file. In order for a child to keep their summer scholarship all forms and requested information must be completed and submitted in a timely manner. Special needs summer camps like Camp Lee Mar have a lot of planning and preparation to create a safe summer learning experience, and we need our parents to be committed to their child’s camp experience.
How to contribute to the Camp Lee Mar Scholarship Program
Over the years many of our campers parents, staff alumni and our purveyors have donated to the Camp Lee Mar scholarship fund having seen first-hand the benefits of Camp Lee Mar for our campers. Other parents have told us that “down the road” there would be a large donation made to our scholarship fund. Many families have also told us of grandparents that want to donate or close friends of the family or people at their place of employment. If there was ever a year that Camp Lee Mar needed donations made to its scholarship fund, this is the year. Won’t you please make a donation and/or share our information with someone who can help our campers in need?
Our scholarship fund continues to be administered by The American Camp Association (ACA) and all contributions are tax deductible. The American Camp Association is a non-profit, Section 501(c)3 organization. Prospective scholarship recipients will have to meet our regular admission criteria in terms of functioning level and behavior; as well as meet the financial guidelines set by the American Camp Association (ACA).
If you would like to help a child benefit from the Camp Lee Mar experience (many could not do so without your help), then please send a donation. When making a donation, please make the check out to: “ACA/Camp Lee Mar”. Please remember that all such donations are tax deductible. Please mail to Camp Lee Mar 805 Redgate Rd. Dresher, PA 19025.
You can also donate online at:
https://acacamps.formstack.com/forms/aca_camper_scholarship_program_for_camps
You can also visit our website www.leemar.com and click on the Donate button in the upper right-hand side of the page.
Written by Lynsey Trohoske
My name is Lynsey Trohoske, I am the assistant director at Camp Lee Mar. I have three amazing children, my middle child happens to be on the autism spectrum and is a camper at Lee Mar. I joined camp as a counselor in 1998 and loved the campers and their families so much that Camp Lee Mar became my second home!
