WHY CAMP REUNITE?
Reconnecting
Research shows that consistent, child-friendly visits have a positive impact on youth with a parent in prison or jail. At Camp Reunite, we make these types of visits happen by facilitating meaningful activities, giving our campers and their parents more choices and more time together than typical visits can allow.
Resiliency
We build resilience. Research shows that uncertainty and lack of information about parental incarceration undermines children’s ability to cope.
Hope
We encourage hope. It is common for younger children to exhibit temporary school phobia and avoid school for 4 - 6 weeks after a parent’s incarceration rather than endure teasing or bullying by peers. Adolescents are at higher risk for suspension or complete dropout.
Camp Reunite 2018 impact report from uw-madison
Grendziak, A., Poehlmann-Tynan, J., Fanning, K., Pritzl, K., & Lavender, A. (2019). Program Evaluation Report: Hometown Heroes’ Camp Reunite, University of Wisconsin-Madison.
WHAT CAMPERS ARE SAYING ABOUT CAMP REUNITE:
“I liked that our moms could move around and laugh and smile with us”
“I had an amazing week and it helped a lot letting me reconnect with my mom”
“Will I be with my same counselors at winter camp and next summer? I hope so!”
“It’s a blessing to be here and it was the best time I had in a long time and I look up to all the staff and want to becomes a staff member here at Camp Reunite”
“Before coming to this camp I didn’t know there were other kids in my same situation”
WHAT PARENTS ARE SAYING ABOUT CAMP REUNITE:
“[I learned] to do things differently so that I won’t come back here to prison and be away from them again.”
“It was the first time I seen her show emotion about being gone. I hope it has open the door to her sharing thoughts and feelings with me.”
“It was a fantastic time for my child and I. I loved feeling like his mom again...”
“Camp Reunite really gave him experiences, coping skills, and hope that I couldn’t. And for that I will forever be grateful to all people who were involved.”