"Fostering the future"

Camp To Belong is growing!   The nationally recognized 5- day camp reunites brothers and sisters ages 8-20 separated because they are not living with their biological families. Washington State has reunited 85 children the past three years at the northwest camp in Idaho. 
 
In 2009, Camp To Belong and Children’s Administration have decided to hold two camps to accommodate the huge interest in giving children this amazing experience. Our goal is to send a total of 75 children to camp. One will be held in Idaho and the other in Washington .The camps are open to “any youth between the ages of 8 and 18+, who is living separately from a sibling or siblings in out of home care (i.e. foster care, guardianship, adoption, etc) and at one point was a part of the public child welfare system.”
 
All camp costs will be paid by Children’s Administration and through private donations raised by Camp To Belong Washington.
 
The early summer camp will be held June 15-20, 2009 at Camp N-Sid-Sen on Lake Couer d’Alene in Idaho. The late summer camp will be held at Miracle Ranch on Horseshoe Lake south of Port Orchard on the Kitsap Peninsula from August 24-29, 2009. Generally, siblings from east of the Cascade mountains will attend Camp N-Sid-Sen; western Washington campers will attend the Miracle Ranch camp. If the siblings are split between both sides of the state, we will work with the caregivers to decide which camp works best.
 
Based on experience, we know that more than 75 siblings will want to attend.  We are providing this form so you can tell us about the kids in your care, and tell us how they will benefit from the experience. A committee including social workers, foster parents and others will review the forms and decide which children will attend camp. The major critiera is the quality and quantity of contact. Priority will be given to children who have the most infrequent contact with their siblings, but all those who apply will be considered.
 
Please fill in the information requested and send it to Bob Partlow:

• pbob300@dshs.wa.gov or
• By mail to Bob Partlow, DSHS Children’s Administration, 1115 Washington Street S.E., Olympia, WA 98504 Mail Stop 45710 or;
• FAX: 360-902-7903

 E-mail is best, if you can do it.
You can also give it to your social worker who will forward it.
The application deadline is March 25, 2009.
 You will be notified by April 15 whether your child has been selected.
Please provide the requested information for each you child you want to attend camp. Also, you should know that if your children are chosen, there will be additional paperwork involved in making this happen. But it is worth it! The kids will have a great time.
Also, please let us know if one of the camps does not work for you, so we can plan accordingly if your child and their siblings are chosen.
Thank you for filling out this form and thank you for all you do for children.
Questions? Call Bob Partlow, 360-902-8063.