March is Developmental Disabilities Awareness month, a time to promote inclusion for individuals with developmental disabilities in all areas of society. This month, the FCIDD is spotlighting the work of some of it's supported partners.
Chester Civitan Club's Enduring Support for Camp Baker and SOAR365
Since the Chester Civitan Club’s founding in the 1960s, thousands of volunteer hours have been spent at Camp Baker. The club has also donated generously and helped to raise additional funds for Camp Baker throughout the decades, supporting crucial initiatives like camp scholarships. In fact, the club introduced SOAR365 to FCIDD in 2001, leading to contributions of more than $250,000 since.
“It’s our responsibility to give back some of what we’ve been given,” stated Matt Johnson, President of the Chester Civitan Club. “We have chosen to support SOAR365’s Camp Baker because what the camp provides lines up perfectly with our club’s mission to help people with developmental disabilities.”
In the summer of 2024, FCIDD and the Chester Civitan Club committed a grant of over $71,000 for enhancements to Camp Baker.
Transformative Projects Enhance Accessibility and Facilities at Camp
The funds turned several key projects into a reality, including the purchase of a wheelchair-accessible utility terrain vehicle to improve transportation around the camp, a concrete walkway for easier access to the fire pit, pool improvements and the construction of a sensory room in the overnight residence.
Each enhancement has directly impacted Camp Baker’s Summer Camp and Respite programs, which over 500 children and adults with disabilities attend each year.
“Through our Summer Camp and Respite programs, Camp Baker is a special place for SOAR365 and the families it serves year after year,” said SOAR365 President and CEO John Walker. “This grant ensures that Camp Baker is a fun, safe and accessible space for many more years to come.”
Through the FCIDD’s grant process, SOAR365 accessed critical funding that directly supports its mission of creating life-fulfilling opportunities for individuals with disabilities. FCIDD’s contribution is more than just financial, however – its grant-making process emphasizes collaboration and community involvement.
Camp Baker is a place where campers and families find joy, respite and a sense of community. The improvements funded by FCIDD’s grant will have a far-reaching effect, not just on the daily lives of campers but also on the broader community of families who rely on SOAR365’s services.
“Camp Baker holds a near and dear space in our collective heart for its inclusion of individuals who navigate life differently due to I/DD and we want to ensure they enjoy all nature has to offer,” said FCIDD Executive Officer Lynn Leitch.
SOAR365’s ongoing partnership with FCIDD and the Chester Civitan Club plays a vital role in making these possibilities happen, demonstrating the power of community-based support in fostering lasting change for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Through their generosity, SOAR365 can continue its work of creating inclusive spaces where everyone is valued and given the opportunity to thrive.