CampAbility  is a recreational and educational summer program for school-aged children  with Autism and other intellectual/developmental/physical disabilities being  provided in a fun and safe environment. We host 2 camps simultaneously - a  kids camp (elementary ages) and a youth camp (6th - 12th grades). We also  offer summer camp sessions to the elementary-aged siblings. This is in order  to help alleviate the burden on parents by keeping their children in one  location, as well as provide familiarity to the camper with special needs by  having his/her sibling nearby and give the sibling(s) companionship with  other siblings who understand what it’s like to walk in their shoes.    Our camps are offered for 6 weeks throughout the summer, Monday - Friday,  from 9AM - 2PM (25 hrs/week). Campers are welcome to participate all summer  or select particular weeks to meet their needs. The camps provide the routine  and structure those on the Spectrum need throughout the summer, as well as  continue to work on social skills, life skills, and academic skills in a  creative and fundamental way.

Summer Jam is a  summer camp.  We will provide weekly  music therapy, field trips, weekly themes that includes related crafts and  activities, academic groups for reading and math, etc. Last year, we had a  tutor who worked with a couple our campers, I would like to bring that  service back to help bridge the gap between summer and the school year.  We have extended our previous times to  Monday - Thursday, 9a - 3p.

As  part of the day program, BIG North Florida community members will participate  in part-time employment job training, which is aimed at providing a variety  of creative and meaningful work opportunities for our members.  Work opportunities will include making  creative gift baskets incorporating many artisan items like infused olive  oils, soaps, fragrances, and uniquely designed jewelry.  These items will be sold both online and in  our local community.     Heal Grant funds will be used to purchase the necessary equipment and  supplies to enhance our small business ventures.

Summer  Fun at the Ranch will include Summer Adaptive Riding Season, Open House,  Movie Outings and Caregiver Respite Events.    Summer Riding at the Ranch: Participants will have equine assisted sessions  which include grooming and riding with support of a team of volunteers.      Open House: Open to the entire community (including participants, their  families, potential riders, donors and other local autism community groups).  All are invited for a fun relaxing evening at the Ranch. Activities include  dinner, horse grooming, golf cart rides, fun and games.     Movie Outings: Partnering with Special Nation, we host a monthly private  movie showing for 50 participants and their families. Our guests are  comfortable to enjoy the movie however they want (walk around, make noises,  even dance). It's a great opportunity for our participants to experience  movies - often for the first time. This remains one of our most popular  programs so we remain committed to continuing this opportunity.     Caregiver Respite Events: Hosting a mom/caregiver retreat weekend which  enables them to get away to rest, refresh and rejuvenate. Additionally, we  host monthly gatherings for mothers with children/family members impacted by  autism or related disabilities. This affords moms the opportunity to gather  with fellow moms facing similar parenting challenges and being with others  who “get it.”    As we do not charge our riding participants, the HEAL grant will help fund  our summer season and to pay for our movie outings along with supporting Open  Houses and Caregiver Respite Events.

Camp I  Am Special is a highly structured, intentionally inclusive summer program  designed to meet the complex needs of children and adults with intellectual  and developmental differences. The camp operates with a 1:1 Buddy-to-Camper  model, which ensures each participant receives individualized attention and  support throughout their time at camp. All volunteers complete comprehensive  training in adaptive care, CPR, and inclusion best practices. Sessions are  staffed by a multidisciplinary team—including registered nurses and behavior  professionals—who coordinate daily care plans and manage camper health,  safety, and participation.    The program emphasizes consistency, safety, and sensory-friendly  experiences, with each session carefully choreographed to reduce anxiety and  support camper autonomy. From structured mealtimes to adaptive recreation and  personal care routines, every element of the camp is designed to create a  joyful, empowering experience for individuals who are often excluded from  typical summer programming.    This request to the HEAL Foundation addresses a growing need for support  with food and supply costs. As inflation drives up the price of meals,  hygiene products, and specialized materials, the program’s ability to  maintain its high standard of care—without increasing costs to families—is at  risk. Many campers rely on scholarships to attend, and nearly three-quarters  come from low-income households.    HEAL’s funding will ensure that every camper receives nutritious meals,  personal care items, and sensory accommodations necessary for full  participation, regardless of their family’s financial circumstances. This  investment helps protect the integrity and accessibility of a program built  on compassion, dignity, and inclusion.

Smile  Camp is a week-long day camp run by Girl Scouts, for children ages 5 to 11  with autism and other developmental and intellectual disabilities including  cerebral palsy, spina bifida, and visual and hearing impairments. Smile Camp  offers campers with disabilities, who might not have the opportunity  otherwise, to experience a week of new friends, outdoor adventure, and a  sense of belonging in an inclusive environment.     Smile Camp 2025 is being held at North Florida School for Special Education,  a site designed to be an accessible and safe space for Smile Campers. Smile  Campers will have access to the barn and animals at the school for a farm  themed day, as well as the playground, gym equipment, and outdoor spaces.      Each day at Smile Camp has a new theme with corresponding activity  rotations, including games, crafts, music, and outdoor activities. Smile Camp  gives children living with autism and other disabilities a break from their  day-to-day routine and brings them outside for an entire week of new  experiences. The camp also provides much needed respite care for the camper’s  parents and care takers.     The camp is run by as many as 40 Girl Scouts who are trained counselors  ages 14 to 18. Supporting them is a team of up to ten Girl Scout directors  ages 16 to 18 and Girl Scout adult volunteers including two adult advisers, a  registered nurse and a chef. Depending on the intensity of care needed,  counselors are paired 1:1 or 1:2 per camper.

Our  organization offers an 8-week Summer Transition Camp created specifically for  teenagers and young adults with disabilities. This safe, inclusive, and  engaging program helps participants build essential life skills and form  meaningful peer connections.    The camp focuses on five key areas:    Social Skills: Campers practice communication and teamwork through  structured group activities.    Daily Living Skills: Activities like meal planning, grocery shopping, and  cooking promote independence.    Pre-vocational and Vocational Skills: Work readiness lessons and hands-on  tasks prepare campers for future employment.    Health and Wellness: Daily movement and wellness activities encourage  healthy habits.    Community Integration: Weekly outings give campers opportunities to apply  what they’ve learned in real-world settings.    What makes our program unique is its focus on teens and young adults—an age  group often overlooked in summer programs, especially for those with Autism.  Most services end by age 10, creating a gap in support during critical  transition years. Our certified staff are trained and experienced in  supporting this population, and our program fills that gap with targeted,  age-appropriate instruction and experiences.    Funding Needs    Support from the HEAL Grant will help reduce costs for families, provide  stipends for community outings, supply food and materials for life skills  activities, and offer at least one scholarship for a camper in financial  need. Your support allows us to continue offering this important and  empowering summer experience.

Growing  Together’s Summer 2025 Camp will follow four carefully chosen themes designed  to build skills, spark curiosity, and create joyful experiences in a safe,  familiar setting.    Camping Weeks will invite students to explore the outdoors with scavenger  hunts, nature crafts, wood safety lessons, and basic first aid. Campers may  earn small badges for participation, and a mobile petting zoo will provide a  memorable hands-on animal encounter.    World Culture Weeks will highlight a different culture each day—such as  African, Japanese, Native American, Spanish, and French—through greetings,  games, crafts, and food tastings. Craft kits and cultural supplies will give  students meaningful, sensory-rich ways to experience global traditions.    Olympic Games Weeks will combine movement and learning. Campers will  explore the history of the Olympics and take part in adapted sports events.  The week will end with an awards ceremony and medals. To enhance the fun,  we’ll bring in carnival-style games that encourage active play and  teamwork.    Weird Science Weeks will feature colorful, interactive experiments like  chemical reactions and color-changing crafts. Students will have the  opportunity to wear lab coats and goggles, collect simple data, and share  findings with peers, promoting communication and discovery.    All activities are held on-site to support structure and safety. This camp  experience fosters creativity, sensory exploration, social interaction, and  belonging—aligned with our neurodiversity-affirming values.

Our specific  funding needs are for shirts & hats for the junior golf  participants as well as funding for food  & beverage purposes. Due to the heat each day, the participants are given  plenty of water & snack breaks so they can recharge and hydrated for the  day. This requires plenty of snacks & drinks throughout the day. At the  conclusion of the program each day, the participants have lunch provided to  them at no cost to them.

Our adult  program, Metamorphoses, would like to expand on the gardening projects they  started last year and to create an outdoor area so all participants can  interact with one another.  Funds are  needed to hang sensory swing, provide seating area (former swing was no  longer safe) and to provide garden supplies.

We are  reaching out to you for your support of Camp Possible this summer.    We are getting more requests than ever for younger campers and we want to  help as many families as we can this summer to make Camp Possible a great  experience for both the kids and their parents.      Camp Possible serves special needs youth ages (4-21) through multi-sensory  and therapeutic activities to bolster friendships, increase self-esteem,  social interaction skills, and emotional regulation through super fun  recreational activities in a secure and exciting environment.

Our sweet mare,  Lizzie, was injured last year, which resulted in a torn suspensory ligament  and fractured cannon bone. She made a shocking near-complete recovery and has  started doing 2 sessions per day, but still struggles with forward learning,  which alters her gait and comfort, making her unable to fully heal. The  veterinarian has recommended that the solution to that be utilizing horse  shoes. This is is big expense for HorsePlay, and shoes will be required for  the rest of her working career with us. Horse shoes will enable her to fully  integrate back into the working herd, doing 6-8 sessions per day like she  used to. Lizzie provides significant vestibular and proprioceptive input in  sessions, which is critical to help our children with ASD meet their sensory  needs to succeed in their sessions.

A  RESPITE AND RESOURCE CENTER FOR SPECIAL NEEDS INDIVIDUALS AND THEIR  FAMILIES    Spring of 2025 inaugural daytime activities, including but not limited to  fishing, gardening, petting zoo, deer watching, and educational classes will  be available as well. Also, Hopeland as just a place for families to  decompress and find support.    Later in the next phase cabins for overnight respite, and a gathering hall  for Worship services and conferences will be added.    FOREVER FRIENDS LAUNCH SPRING 2025    Forever Friends is similar to the Best Buddies program found in public  schools. Friends will join us from the youth, teen and young adult groups  around the region.     Forever Friends is a life changing experience for typical kids, teens and  young adults, and those with autism, who often have never had a single  friend.

We are located on  the west side of Jacksonville but serve people of all over the multi-county  region.  You will find happy baseball  players every Friday night and Saturday morning during our spring and fall  seasons.

Jacksonville  School for Autism (JSA) Summer Camp is a vital extension of our mission to  provide year-round, individualized education and skill-building for children,  teens, and young adults with autism. Designed to prevent regression over the  summer months, our camp offers structured learning, social engagement, and  recreational activities tailored to meet the unique needs of each  participant.    Campers engage in hands-on experiences such as cooking, gardening, art, and  community outings that promote independence and confidence in real-world  settings. We also focus on essential academic reinforcement, communication  skills, and motor development to ensure continued progress.    Funding Needs:    To ensure that all families can access this critical program, we seek  funding for:    Program Materials & Activities – Sensory equipment, adaptive learning  tools, and recreational supplies.    Community Outings – Field trips that promote socialization and real-world  learning experiences.

Currently, we  offer aquatic physical therapy, as well as adaptive swim lessons. I hope to  grow my team this year by employing another swim instructor and an  occupational therapist. In order to grow our adaptive swim program to suit  the large variety and needs of the children, I need specialized equipment to  make sure they are all safe in the water. I perform adaptive life jacket  fittings so families can ensure that the device is right for their child  before purchasing. I also use the life jackets to teach the children how to  put them on and take them off, and jump in and float. I would like to use the  Kyrios suits in my children with Autism who have severe sensory issues and  are resistant to handling or stimuli as these suits provide a full body  compression and can be used in the water to calm. Lastly, I treat a large  diverse group of children. I have families who speak English, Spanish,  Portuguese, Russian, and Kazakh. Many times, the iPad I am using is not fast  enough to translate instructions and malfunctions by the pool deck as I am  giving the child instructions. I would like funds to cover the cost of an  in-person translator when necessary in order to ensure the family and child  understands all water safety instructions.

Kids Connect  Today offers social skills classes for children, teens & young adults  with autism. Grant funds would be used to offer scholarships to families who  cannot afford our classes.

Theme  Weeks    Red, White, and Blue Week    Tie Dye Week    Super Hero Week    Welcome to Summer Week    Olympics Week    Disney Week    Science Week    Culture Week    Animal Week

Budget  Overview: The funds from this grant will help cover program materials, staff  salaries, scholarships for underprivileged children, and necessary facility  upgrades to ensure a safe and enriching environment for all campers.    Sample week: 1. Week 1: Connections & Confidence    o Dates: May 27-30    o Description: This week is all about breaking the ice and building  confidence in social settings. Through structured games, teamwork activities,  and creative challenges, campers will practice starting conversations, active  listening, and sharing their interests in an authentic way.    o Highlights:    Name games and confidence-building activities    A social scavenger hunt at the beach    Budget Overview: The funds from this grant will help cover program  materials, staff salaries, scholarships for underprivileged children, and  necessary facility upgrades to ensure a safe and enriching environment for  all campers.Workshops on nonverbal communication and reading social  cues    o Takeaway: Campers will leave feeling more confident in socializing,  making friends, and navigating group dynamics.

Our summer camp  programs will consist of the use of string instruments (guitars, ukuleles,  autoharps), pitched percussion (xylophones, bells, chimes) and non-pitched  percussion (drums rhythm sticks, guiros) musical instruments to maintain  continuity throughout June & July. Our focus will be on weekly Music  Therapy group sessions that we have been doing at 2 different locations; 1 of  which is located in St. Johns and the other one is in Clay County. Our  specific goals include: inclusion, independence, social skills, fine and  gross motor skills, emotional expression, & behavioral regulation.  Singing protocols will also be developed and used as a bridge to vocal  production & language development.   At the conclusion of summer camp, each participate will have gained  the skills necessary to accompany themselves on an instrument and be able to  perform, at their highest possible level of ability/functioning, for their  family and friends at a recital within their school/clinic/group home. It is  our intention and plan to also have some students perform for older adults  who live in adult congregate living facilities to bridge the generational  gap.  Our specific funding needs are as  for 2 staff members to plan and facilitate 6 weekly group sessions at 2  different locations at $100.00 per staff member per session = $2,400.

Special  Nation’s mission is to provide inclusive social, recreational, learning and  therapeutic activities throughout the summer for individuals of all ages with  autism and their families. Our goal is to create opportunities for  connection, growth, and fun at no cost to participants, ensuring that all  families feel welcomed, supported, and part of a loving community.    Program Activities:    Wednesday Night Friends Group: Weekly gatherings at Redeemer Church and  various community locations. Families come together for fellowship, adapted  church curriculum, and community building. Each month includes a Birthday and  Karaoke Night celebration.    Sunday Morning Respite: We offer respite care in a sensory-friendly environment  with adapted lessons during on-site church services, allowing parents and  caregivers to attend worship.    At the Movies Events: In partnership with Bit of Faith Ranch, we host  monthly sensory-friendly private movie showings for up to 50 attendees.    Moms/Caregivers Meetups: Monthly gatherings organized with Bit of Faith  Ranch to offer fellowship, support, and encouragement to mothers and  caregivers.    Second Sunday Special Praise: A fully accessible family worship service  held monthly, featuring music, a sermon, and communion where all individuals,  regardless of ability, experience belonging and acceptance.    Music Therapy: Monthly sessions on the second Wednesday at 6:30 PM for  individuals impacted by autism and related disabilities.    Additional Special Summer Events:    VBS Night: June 11th — a Vacation Bible School-themed evening of fun and  faith.    End-of-Summer Party: A community celebration featuring a foam cannon party  in partnership with Bit of Faith Ranch.

Spectrum  Sailing's 2025 Jacksonville camp took place during Duval County school spring  break, a time when children on the spectrum do not have school activities,  and also suffer from a lack of inclusive extracurricular activities and  programs to engage in.     Spectrum Sailing ran a 3-day professional sailing camp, free of cost to all  families, that was hosted by the Florida Yacht Club. Sailors were taught  knot-tying, weather and water safety fundamentals, parts of the boat, and how  to harness the wind to move the boat through the water. Each day of camp  consisted of several hours of active on-the-water sailing as each team of 3-4  kids worked together to sail their boats on the St. Johns River.     Inclusion is at the core of our mission, and we know that removing the  financial barrier to sailing is key to increasing access for this underserved  population. That is why we never charge the families whose kids attend our  camp. But our camps are not free to run, and we are seeking local community  support to help defray the costs of conducting camp, so we can keep this  program free for all kids.

This Summer we  will have 3 Individuals training and getting paid at both stores. The funding  will help us pay them. I provide my services for free so the funding can help  these individuals get their pay checks.

Our program  focuses on increasing daily life skills while exposing our residents to new  experiences they may not get to experience when they are able to go back  home. Our specific funding needs are to pay for various activities during the  summer. Our youth are not able to participate in camps like so many other  kids can so we look to provide our own summer camp.

Camp  TLC at The Therapeutic Learning Center provides a holistic, individualized  educational and therapeutic experience for preschool-aged children impacted  by Autism Spectrum Disorder and related developmental disabilities. Without  summer programming, students experience significant regression, losing access  to critical supports that maintain developmental progress.    Camp TLC fills a vital gap, as no comparable summer programs exist locally  for this age and support level. Our therapeutic summer program offers low  student-to-staff ratios, free two-day Extended School Year (ESY) sessions for  currently enrolled students, and weekly placements open to community campers,  Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM–4:00 PM. In addition to summer programming,  TLC hosts monthly open Family Playgroups, maintains the only free Early Steps  evaluation site in St. Johns County, and is working toward becoming a  satellite clinic location for CARD, further expanding access to developmental  services.    Funding is needed to safely expand our summer roster by purchasing  additional seating, specialized supplies, and adaptive equipment to meet  campers’ individualized needs. More than half of the families we serve  qualify for public assistance and would otherwise be unable to afford summer  programming. Our camp operates at a fraction of the cost of comparable  programs found in neighboring counties, ensuring accessibility for Northeast  Florida families.    By supporting Camp TLC, HEAL would directly enrich the lives of children  with autism and related disabilities, empower families, and uphold the  critical services that allow our community’s youngest learners to thrive.  Together, we can inspire, educate, and build a stronger, more inclusive community.

Uncharted  Academy is launching a 2-week summer Music Exploration Camp specifically  designed to support students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and other  Intellectual and Developmental Differences (IDDs). The camp will provide a  welcoming, sensory-friendly environment where students can explore a variety  of musical instruments through structured small-group sessions and optional  quiet individual exploration. Sessions will be led by a licensed music  therapist and credentialed music instructors who specialize in neurodivergent  support.    The focus will be on fostering a love of music, building self-expression,  and helping students develop comfort with different sounds and textures at  their own pace. Rather than a traditional performance-based model, our camp  emphasizes exploration, creativity, and emotional growth.    Specific funding needs include the purchase of musical instruments,  adaptive equipment, and sensory-friendly materials to create a calming and  supportive musical environment. Funding this project will not only make the  camp possible this summer but will also allow us to continue offering music  exploration sessions year-round, expanding the number of students we can  serve over time. By investing in equipment that stays with the program, this  grant will create lasting opportunities for hundreds of neurodivergent  students in our community to experience the joy and benefits of music.