Warm Memories for the Winter Weather

During these winter months, we’re probably all dreaming about the summertime. This past summer, our kids needed a safe and positive getaway more than ever. With your support, hundreds of foster youth had the chance to get outside in nature with our caring community to create memories that last a lifetime.

Here are some memories from the 2021 camp season to help warm up these cold days!

Camp Felix

In August, with our partner The New York Foundling, we returned home to our flagship Camp Felix site in Putnam Valley! Over 100 children enjoyed swimming, eating healthy and delicious meals with friends- new and old, tried new activities like climbing walls and DJing, and gathered around the campfire for stories and games. Being reunited felt so good!

Camp Felix Garden

This year, we partnered with Land to Learn and The Children’s Home of Poughkeepsie to bring the Camp Felix Garden program to a whole new group of kids! For eight weeks, the young people built and cared for a garden with seven beds on the premises of their group homes.. They planted tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, watermelon, beets, soothing herbs, which they prepared and enjoyed at their end-of-summer celebration!

Camp Felix Road Trips

What's better than a summer road trip? Every Friday for eight weeks, our teens from Good Shepherd Services enjoyed a unique trip outside of New York City, from a private tour of the Russell Wright Design Center to catching fish in a giant net at Little Stony Point Park! The season finale was a sailing trip on the Hudson River aboard the Sloop Clearwater's historic sailboat. For this trip, we welcomed a group of foster youth from our new partner, Seamen’s Society in Staten Island. It was an epic and memorable summer for the kids!

Camp Felix West

Our overnight camp serving Los Angeles foster youth in partnership with Happy Trails for Kids was a great success! In June, over 100 kids attended one week of Camp Felix West and had the best time participating in fun activities like kayaking and watching a Luau show while bonding with fellow campers. The theme this year was Lanakila which in Hawaiian means “to overcome," a meaningful concept both to our children who are impacted by foster care and to everyone living through this pandemic.

We are forever grateful to our friends, donors, volunteers, and partners who make these spectacular opportunities possible. But we think the most special THANK YOU of all comes directly from the hearts of our children.