Vermont
Camp Hochelaga pilots program for children in foster care
SOUTH HERO, Vt. (WCAX) – A new program is bringing the magic of summer camp to kids in foster care.
“No Bunk Empty” removes barriers to summer camp for kids in foster care across Vermont. It’s the joint effort of Vermont Department for Children and Families and YWCA Vermont Camp Hochelaga. The program helps families register for camp and pay for tuition, and all campers are guaranteed a permanent spot at camp.
Camp Executive Director Chelsea Irys Rendlen says she hopes the program brings joy and consistency to the often inconsistent lives of kids in foster care.
“These summer camp spaces and programs can be deeply healing and create a sense of community, sense of home and help build resilience,” Irys Rendlen.
10 kids will attend Camp Hochelaga this summer in the program’s pilot. “No Bunk Empty” aims to make camp accessible to all Vermonters in foster care by 2027.
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