This week was our first week focusing on workforce development.
Not only did we have campers learning new skills, but we also had volunteers from multiple high schools.
This week we’ll cover:
Camino Works!
Info on Autism Level One
Thanking our special volunteers
And sharing more about how Camino is funded
Let’s jump right in!
Camino Works!
There were 15 campers for our Camino Works! week.
Camino Works! is a workforce development program built for teens and adults with neurodiversity and intellectual and developmental disabilities who are ready to build confidence, independence, and real-world job skills.
This week a majority of campers had Autism Level One. To understand programming, we wanted to share a bit on what this means.
A Note on Autism Level One
Autism support levels describe how much day-to-day support a person needs. The levels ranges from 1 to 3. Level one is the lowest of the three levels, and people at this level are largely independent.
Their strengths include:
Remarkable focus and persistence
Aptitude for recognizing patterns
Attention to detail
Their common challenges:
Difficulty reading social cues and body language
Difficulty maintaining a conversation
Difficulty with tone, volume, and distance in conversation
Alongside our regular programming, these campers spent much more time on the farm than any group this summer!
Most of that time was in the Animal Assisted Therapy Barn.
Not only did they learn to care for the animals, but they also learned how to properly wash and crate eggs with the instruction of our Therapy Barn Manager, Shelby! These eggs will go out to local food pantries in surrounding counties.
So all the work they did was for a great cause!
On top of helping on the farm, the campers also sharpened their baking skills…
But we couldn’t have dessert without first making dinner…
And before dinner, we learned how to make salsa!!
Citizen Bank also facilitated a discussion on Financial Independence!!
As you can see, it was another great week here at Camino!
Before we give a shoutout to our volunteers this week, check out the recap video below!
This week we had the principal, campus minister, and 5 PJP Students help us in the kitchen serving meals to our camper.
It was great having them back on campus just a month after they joined us for Kairos.
We couldn’t be more grateful for their help!
Merion Mercy Academy Service Trip
Merion Mercy Academy joined us for a special service program.
Seven of their students helped our campers one-on-one during the day. At night, they gathered for their own reflection and growth from the experience throughout the week.
They showed great compassion in getting to know the camper. And I know the campers loved having them by their side!
In addition to the class of 2027, we were also joined by members of the Merion Mercy class of 1977! One of which being our mom, Katie Keating!
With mom and all 7 of our sisters going to Merion, Mercy charism was a big part of the tradition.
For anyone wondering,
The Mercy charism is a spiritual gift of deep empathy, compassion, and active service given by the Holy Spirit to help those who suffer.
The spirit of mercy also bleeds through as a big part of our mission here at Camino!
And if you want to hear more about how Camino came to be, please listen to my mom and me on the Highfive Success Stories Podcast!
How Camino is Funded
Camino is built on a model rooted in stewardship, sustainability, and access.
Our vision is that everyone who comes here, especially those from underserved or vulnerable communities, can experience rest and belonging regardless of financial means.
When it comes to camp, the true cost of a full Camino experience is approximately $1,500 per camper, which includes staffing, meals, lodging, facilities care, and the safe delivery of every program.
Partner organizations covered 40% of that cost this summer
Fundraising closed the remaining 60%
The generosity of our donors is what allows us to offer scholarships, reduced rates, and fully subsidized experiences for groups who could not otherwise participate.
On top of being a non-profit, we’re now three months into operating like a startup. Building something new carries extra costs as we grow into our full capacity.
So we’d like to thank everyone who has donated so far! This would not be possible without you.
For anyone interested in donating, gifts (one time or monthly) are tax-deductible and go toward providing experiences that restore hope, build connection, and affirm each person's inherent worth.
It’s been a pleasure welcoming both the IDD community as well as those with neurodivergence these past two weeks.
Camino exists to offer hospitality, renewal, fun, and belonging to all, with particular sensitivity for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
But none of this is possible without our generous donors and willing volunteers.
Thanks again to PJP and Merion Mercy for joining us this week.
Having also been joined by St. Joe’s Prep during our Snider Hockey week, we look forward to partnering with more high schools to coordinate service trips for their students.
If you have any questions about volunteering or using the campus here at Camino, please don’t hesitate to send me an email!
When I sit down to write the newsletter, I always like to highlight what’s happening at Camino throughout the week. Last night, we welcomed a group of Pope John Paul II High School students for their senior year Kairos Retreat. They will be with us until Monday. I will share more about their experience next week. The rest of the week has been spent in preparation for Fall Fest and our upcoming Women’s Wellness Weekend. I have a couple of exciting updates to share with you for each of those....
With fall almost here, there is a lot happening at Camino! We’ve recently started a campus upgrade. There are multiple groups joining us for retreat in the coming weeks. We just hosted a women’s retreat on Wednesday, and we’re already planning a women’s wellness weekend for next month. We’re also hosting a Fall Fest for the IDD community, and we’re planning an open house for everyone to come up to see the campus in the midst of fall! With so much to cover, let’s dive right in! Women’s Retreat...
Today, we pause to remember the lives lost on September 11, 2001, and to honor the courage of the first responders, service members, and countless individuals who stepped forward in the days that followed. We pray that God continues to guide us in building a world rooted in peace, compassion, and unity. When my parents started Camino, there were no plans for a farm. Their original intentions were just to build a camp and retreat center. But with construction delayed for various reasons, the...