Summer Camp FAQs

We accept three types of payments: self-pay, waiver, and non-waiver agency funding (for more information on these categories, please see the Summer Camp application).

For those using Family & Individual Support Waiver or Community Living Medical Waiver hours:

• Day camp, one week stay = 40 hours
• Overnight camp, one week stay = 120 hours
• Overnight camp, two week stay = 288 hours

SOAR365 offers financial aid to reduce the cost of Summer Camp when the full cost is out of reach. There are limited funds available to assist eligible families with one week of summer camp. Financial aid is determined based on family size, income, and other factors.

Applications are available on the website and are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. If applying for a scholarship, please submit the scholarship application along with your Summer Camp application. A deposit is not required until you are notified of potential assistance.

Transportation to and from Summer Camp needs to be arranged or provided by the camper’s family or caregiver. One option to consider is using Modivcare.

Once a camper has been accepted into Summer Camp the $500 deposit is non-refundable. Please notify the Camp Director of any cancellations as soon as possible.

Requests for refunds must be made in writing to the Camp Director at least two weeks in advance, stating specific reasons for cancellation. Requests for refunds with less than two weeks’ notice will be honored only under extraordinary circumstances.

Glad you asked! We can’t wait to welcome you. Please note, campers must be accompanied by a parent or caregiver who can answer questions about the camper’s needs. Here is the check-in process:

1. Upon arrival, campers will sign in at the main entrance of Summer Camp (signs and staff will direct you).
2. Please remove all medications from the camper’s luggage and keep them with you for step #4.
3. The camper’s luggage will be checked in transported by Summer Camp staff to their designated cabin.
4. A camp counselor will greet you and take you to our medical team.
5. Medical staff will take the camper’s vitals and ask questions regarding the camper’s present health. If the medical staff observe any signs of illness or other medical concerns, or if the camper’s temperature is over 100° F, the camper will not be allowed to stay at camp.
6. The nurse will check all of the camper’s medications in. Please note, we can only accept medications that were listed on the camper’s medical consents that were submitted to Summer Camp.
7. Your camp counselor will escort you to the Retreat building to meet other campers and get started!

Check-out is between 9:00 am – 12:00 pm and could take up to 30 minutes. Please consider traffic and plan ahead. When you arrive, please visit the Spivey administrative building with your photo ID. We will call your camper (on our walkie talkies) to meet you.

Only those on your pick up list will be allowed to sign campers out. While waiting on your camper, you can pick up any remaining medication. Your camper will arrive with their luggage, and we encourage you to check it to ensure that all of their belongings are included.

Check-in is Monday-Friday, between 8:30 am – 9:00 am in the Spivey administrative building. If your camper has medication, you may check it in with the nurse for the week or each day. Once properly checked in, our counselors will take your camper to where they need to be each day.

Check out requires ID and a signature. Please have your photo ID ready as only those on your pick up list will be allowed to sign campers out. Check-out is Monday – Thursday, 4:30 pm – 5:00 pm and Friday, 11:00 am – 12:00 pm.

Yes, $50/hour, payable by check or credit card. For any part of an hour that a camper is not picked up, there is a $50 fee. For example, if pick-up time is 12:00 pm, and you arrive at 12:30 pm, there is a $50 fee. Or if you arrive at 2:00 pm, there is a $100 fee.

If you are having transportation challenges, please consider adding additional individuals to your pick up list or using a service like Modivcare.

If you are concerned about how your camper is doing, you are welcome to call the Summer Camp office (804-748-4789). Please know that you may have to leave a mesage, as our staff are actively supporting campers during their activities. Messages will be returned as soon as possible. If your camper has their own cell phone, you may call or text whenever you’d like.

We want to encourage as much person-to-person connection as we can at SOAR365’s Summer Camp! Unfortunately, electronics sometimes interfere with that. Devices are welcome only for limited use for communication, medical needs, or behavior modification. Personal music may be brought to Summer Camp as long as it is used with headphones. Hand-held gaming systems are not allowed, and Summer Camp is not responsible for lost or damaged items.

All campers sleep in the air-conditioned Retreat building. Each camper has their own designated sleeping area, with a twin bed, clothing cabinet, hooks to hang items, and a laundry bag. There is a male and female side, and campers are placed in one of our six cabin groups – these are named Fire, Water, Earth, Sun, Moon and Stars.

Yes, and day campers will join them.

We offer the optional sale of t-shirts, hats, and other Summer Camp store items during check-in and check-out. A drink and snack machine is available, cash or card. There may be opportunities to purchase items during day or weekend outings. If campers bring money to camp, it will be processed during check-in. This ensures it can be tracked by camper.

You can find a suggested packing list here (link coming soon!). The number of items is up to you. When packing, please keep in mind your camper’s length of stay, how many times per day the camper normally changes, and various weather conditions. Please label as many items as possible to be sure the right items come home with your camper.

Items left behind will be kept in the lost and found until October. If you are missing items, you are welcome to visit Summer Camp to view the lost and found bin and retrieve any items that belong to your camper.

We take care to hire individuals who are committed to working with adults and youth with disabilities. Many are international students, studying in areas such as education, social work, and psychology. All camp counselors undergo a rigorous, two-week training process.

We hire both male and female counselors. Male campers may have female counselors taking care of them, but male counselors will not assist female campers with personal hygiene.

Campers will be busy making friends, participating in activities (on and off campus) and eating delicious meals – all while having fun! Below is a basic schedule.

• 8-9am- Breakfast
• 9-12pm- Activities
  • Pocahontas State Park, Tuesday
  • Horseback Riding, Monday (females) and Wednesday (males)
  • Sports, Music/Drama, Nature, Cooking, Arts & Crafts, Outdoor games
  • Swimming
• 12-1pm- Lunch
• 1-2pm- Siesta / Down Time
• 2-5pm- Activities
  • Sports, Music/Drama, Nature, Cooking, Arts & Crafts, Outdoor games
  • Talent Show, Thursday
  • Swimming
• 5-6pm- Dinner
• 6-7pm- Evening Activities (campfire, movie night, fishing, etc.)
• 7-8:30pm- Cabin Time with fellow campers and staff

All the classics! Below are sample menu items that we serve.

• Breakfast- cereal, muffins/bread, pancakes, eggs, bacon/sausage and French toast
• Lunch- turkey melt, chicken salad, chicken or bean burritos, chicken stir-fry, sloppy joe, general Tso’s chicken, grilled cheese sandwich, and falafel and rice
• Dinner- beef or veggie lasagna, burgers/hot dogs, tacos, BBQ chicken sandwich, curry chicken, broccoli or chicken alfredo, baked spaghetti and beef stroganoff

We rotate menu items for variety. To keep our campers healthy, there is fruit at lunch and a salad bar for lunch and dinner.

We can accommodate vegetarian, lactose-free, gluten-free, low carb, and diabetic diets. The kitchen is a nut and shellfish-free facility. If your camper has food allergies, please include that on your application so we can accommodate.

We are able to puree food as needed, and counselors are ready to cut food into smaller pieces to assist campers. If your camper has a specialized diet, consider sending food or supplemental drinks. Please share all relevant information on the application and call if you have any questions.

Yes, if they are nut-free. We ask that you only bring snacks that can be kept in the camper’s room (unless they require refrigeration). This is important so that snacks are not shared with other campers.

Day campers will be served lunch at camp. If the camper arrives at 8:30am, they can join us for breakfast. If the camper plans to arrive closer to 9am, please eat before arriving, as breakfast will have ended.

We provide a 1:4 counselor to camper ratio. If the camper currently receives 1:1 support in an educational or support setting, please contact us to determine if SOAR365’s Summer Camp is the right fit.

Medical staff (RNs, LPNs and CNAs) are on site and available to administer prescription medication to campers. We require all campers to pre-package medications. All medications, vitamins, and supplements brought to Summer Camp must be in the original bottles with label, with an extra 2-day supply for emergencies.

We prefer that medications are placed in a “bubble/blister pack” by a pharmacist. If your camper’s medication dosage has changed, a new prescription label must be obtained and sent with the camper. Once your camper has been approved for Summer Camp, you will be sent a medical consent packet to complete at least 2 weeks prior to their first day of camp.

We have a nurse on duty Sunday (12:00 pm – 9:00 pm), Monday-Thursday (6:00 am – 10:00 pm) and Friday (6:00 am – 1:00pm). Our Nurse Supervisor leads a team of health care assistants and works with the Camp Director to ensure campers stay healthy and happy.

In addition, all camp counselors are certified in First Aid/CPR. Nursing staff store all medications under lock and key. Only the nursing staff and medication administration-certified staff distribute medications. During overnight hours, a nurse is on call.

Our main goal is for campers to have a safe and happy time while at camp. However, accidents may happen, or a camper may become ill. Summer Camp staff will notify parents/caregivers immediately of any incidents or if the camper becomes ill. If a doctor or hospital visit is necessary, we will go to Chippenham Hospital, Bon Secours St. Francis Hospital, or Chester ER (urgent care) and notify you know immediately.

If it is determined that it is not in the best interests of the camper for them to stay at Summer Camp, you will be required to take them home.

Most campers have a positive experience at Summer Camp. Sometimes, however, a camper will have difficulty with emotions and/or behaviors. There may be a variety of reasons for this: change in routine, change in location, not being used to living in a group, etc. We will do whatever we can to assist the camper in adjusting to the Summer Camp environment.

Occasionally, campers have gone home early for sickness, behavior challenges, personal reasons, weather related issues, personal choice, and other reasons. All campers must have a plan in place to be picked up early should the need arise.

If the camper continually exhibits harmful behaviors (to themselves or others) – such as hitting, kicking, biting, swearing, hair pulling, etc. – or experiences anxiety that impacts their ability to participate in Summer Camp activities, we will contact the parents/caregivers and discuss different strategies to help the camper adjust. If the strategies are not effective, we will contact the parents/caregivers again and talk about the next course of action, which may be sending the camper home.

Occasionally campers have gone home early for sickness, behavior challenges, personal reasons, weather related issues, personal choice, and other reasons. All campers must have a plan in place to be picked up early should the need arise.

Campers who leave Summer Camp early for any reason (homesickness, illness, behavior, etc.) are not eligible for a refund. We will only issue a refund if Summer Camp closes early.