Summer is such an exciting time of the year when children attend camp with their family and friends and capture memories that last a lifetime. All children don’t have the opportunity to attend camp and especially not those in Foster Care.

At the National Association of Former Foster Care Children of America, Inc. (NAFFCCA) we know what it feels like to be in foster care and more importantly to be placed without your siblings. Louis H. Henderson, President/CEO of NAFFCCA is also a former foster child. Louis grew up in the foster care system under the Family and Child Services Agency in Washington, DC with five of his twelve siblings. The five of them that were placed together supported each other and listened intensely to Louis’ dreams to one day create an agency that would improve the existing services and advocate for children in foster care. He vividly remembers them attending Camp Pleasant and Camp Mosshollow of which he feels was a contributing factor toward enhancing their relationships then and now as adults; but a part of his dream was to make it possible for all siblings to attend camp together. As he reflects on the eight siblings that were not in care with him and did not attend camp nor have regular sibling visits with him; attributes toward the difficulties that he and the other five siblings have had in developing relationships then and as adults with them. While the separation from siblings is no fault of the children it has a lifetime impact upon them. Louis’ life as a foster child was the catalyst that led to NAFFCCA’s Sibling Camp.

While many social service agencies have set benchmarks whereby it is mandatory for siblings to visit at least two times per month, imagine these siblings spending a week together at camp where they are able to engage in life skills, intervention and art activities, share meals, laugh, and spend quiet time sharing their innermost thoughts with each other while dedicated staff and volunteers make certain that they capture these memories and are able to take them home to visually remember the good times when they are not together.

NAFFCCA has provided residential, GED, Youthbuild, CareerGear DC, First Wings Mentoring, Tutoring, Summer Youth Employment, Summer Camp and Life Skills services to youth in foster care for over 15 years. These experiences have been immeasurable in our ability to determine how much a child is affected when they are not placed with their siblings in foster care. However, based upon our data from the programs where siblings were united; the outcomes were substantial in the youth’s motivation toward developing and implementing career goals, education goals, and goals for self sufficiency upon emancipation from foster care. In most instances a major goal was reuniting with family and having the chances to spend their lives uninterrupted by placements and other government entities.

The NAFFCCA Sibling Camp is embarking upon this year’s camp which is scheduled for August 16-22, 2009 at Camp Sandy Cove in High View, West Virginia. The only criteria for acceptance at the camp are that youth come with a sibling(s) between the ages of 8-18.

The staff to youth ratio is 1:4. Trained volunteers and staff assist in the activities, monitoring interactions, encouraging positive behaviors and providing emotional support as needed.

To obtain youth applications or to volunteer contact:

Director
202 291-1603