SOUTHAMPTON FRESH AIR HOME
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Mission Statement
The Southampton Fresh Air Home is a not-for-profit residential campoffering summer sessions and year-round programs and opportunitiesfor youth with physical disabilities. Our mission is to provide an enriching, recreational camping experience. We are committed to helping our campers develop physically, emotionally, and educationally, with the goal of fostering self-esteem, maturity and independence through a broadly balanced program, while providing their families with a well-deservedrespite. SFAHis dedicated to improving and expanding its programs and facilities as new opportunities, technology and financial support become available. Campers who attend SFAH’s programs come primarily from low and middle-income families. Over 75% are from New York City, Nassau, and Suffolk Counties. The children live with a range of physical disabilities such as muscular dystrophy, cerebral palsy, spina bifida, osteogenesis imperfecta, spinal cord injuries and head injuries. While some children have congenital disabilities, others have acquired disabilities sustained in automobile and sports related accidents or through gun and gang violence. They range in age from 8 to 18, roughly half boys and half girls. Nearly 50% are African American, 30% are Caucasian and the remaining 20% are Hispanic and Asian. Campers use power or manual wheelchairs, braces or crutches. Some manage their own care with minimal assistance, while others require total care, receiving help with dressing, toileting, eating, bathing, and moving about. Each summer there are 2 three-week sessions as well as a one-week program for younger children who have never been away from home as well as for children who require a higher level of nursing care. Each summer session has an optimal enrollment of 50 children. To fully meet the needs of every child, SFAH maintains a camper-to-counselor ratio of 2:1 to instruct, guide, assist, and nurture campers throughout their stay. Campers live in spacious climate controlled, fully equipped dorms suitable for wheelchair users with 24-hour staff. Registered nurses provide 24-hour medical coverage, and a doctor is on call at all times. While in residence at SFAH, participants enjoy our unique sports programs which include swimming, sailing, relays, golf, tennis, basketball, baseball, dodgeball, football, cycling and hockey. These activities promote motor and athletic skills, build strong muscles, develop agility, coordination, muscle tone and flexibility. Counselors work one-on-one to create an environment in which campers are fully involved and engaged. No child is denied an opportunity to be a camper because of their inability to pay. SFAH provides over $250,000 in financial aid rewards to approximately 100 of the neediest children every summer. Financial aid is available for all levels of need, from minimal need to 100% of camp fees. Typically, 75% of campers require some amount of financial aid to attend our program. The actual cost of a child’s stay at camp is over $3,000 per week. Published fees are $1,000 per week. Between Sept. 1 and May 31, SFAH offers a regular schedule of programs designed to offer recreational and educational opportunities for the children and young adults we serve . Youth with physical disabilities often feel excluded and stigmatized in mainstream recreational settings. Existing programs for people with disabilities are more often geared toward youth with cognitive and behavioral disabilities and cannot address the developmental and physical needs of young people with physical disabilities. Often, they are the only people with physical disabilities in mainstream schools, and contact with friends who share the experience of disability is limited to the camp session. Our off-season programs directly address these needs. Our Life Skill Lab Workshops are the most requested programs offered during the off-season. The workshops’ main focus is to assess and improve a camper’s ability to function day-to-day in daily activities at home, in school, out in public, and at work. The goals are to foster independence and productivity and to encourage self-care. Each workshop is designed to suit campers individual needs and abilities. The workshops enable participants to improve strength, dexterity, and coordination while performing tasks. Workshops include tips for activities of daily living such as hygiene, bathing/showering, dressing, feeding and increased participation in self-care through the use of adaptive equipment. Financial management, health management and maintenance, home management and maintenance, first aid training, leisure exploration, and development of social skills are some of the topics our campers find useful. Staff incorporate theme-based workshops and day trips for participants with similar identified goals. The Life Skill Lab workshops take place at SFAH and in the field, depending on the focus of the lab and needs of the participants.
About This Cause
In 1901, a group of women who wanted to share the benefits of sun and ocean air with youth who had physical disabilities established a special camp. Since the first summer of 10 children, the camp has grown exponentially to accommodate 150 plus youth each summer. In 2008 with the addition of four climate-controlled dormitories, SFAH began offering several off- season weekends during the school year for smaller groups of children to maintain the friendships made during the summer and enjoy seasonal activities. These weekend programs were offered free of charge and transportation was provided. In 2013, a modernization of our campus was deemed necessary to better serve our campers. Projects completed include an administrative building that serves as the formal entrance to the camp and increases security on campus. We upgraded our transportation fleet with three new wheelchair accessible vans that allow us to expand our off-site field trips and offer safer, more comfortable transportation for campers to and from New York City. We also upgraded our pools, pool house and pool filtration systems. The sports court was rebuilt and features a fully adapted custom design that allows the children to participate in relays, track & field, tennis, football, baseball, soccer, basketball, hockey, dodge ball, targets and more. A shade awning was added to protect the children from the direct heat of the sun. A solar energy system was installed in 2018 so that the Home can benefit from sustainable energy sources. A full renovation of the Main Building was completed in the spring of 2018. This project includes the dining hall, camp kitchen and staff residences. In 2014, SFAH established a Camper Advisory Committee (CAC) consisting of a diverse group of former and current campers, their parents, members of the Board of Directors, and management. It was formed to give campers and parents a stronger voice in future camp planning. This Board initiative has become an invaluable planning tool. In 2017, SFAH’s Board voted unanimously to formalize the CAC by creating a permanent Advisory Board. Members of the Advisory Board endeavor to provide the Home with new perspectives based on their personal experiences and connections and will assist with improving programming and fundraising. Advisory Board Members are voting members of the corporation. In 2016, with the addition of a year-round Assistant Camp/Program Director, we formalized our off- season programming, allowing us to move from a “summer+” model to a year-round resource for youth with physical disabilities. While our summer camp program is a successful one, our youth expressed a lack of recreational opportunities during the year and face social isolation in their communities outside of camp. Our off-season programs directly address these needs. SFAH equips physically disabled youth with the skills they need to be successful in their communities. Our off-season programs further these goals through an innovative model serving both current campers, ages 8-18 and young adult “alumni” who have aged out of the summer camp program, but still need support as they transition into adulthood. The model includes components such as Life Skill Lab workshops, respite weekends, day trips, identification of colleges and universities equipped to meet the needs of students with disabilities and social media groups to assess needs. Pool time is by far a favorite activity for all our campers and an emphasis is placed on getting each child into the pool each day for at least one hour. Swimming or hydrotherapy offers an exhilarating sense of freedom. Once in the water, campers experience buoyancy which immediately alleviates pressure on their joints and muscles and allows them to float, splash, and undulate their way to improved physical mobility, circulation, balance, coordination, posture, endurance while having a great deal of fun. Sailing is an ideal sport for people with physical disabilities as well as a venue for fun and competition. It is more of a mental sport with physical interactions than a purely physical sport. Adapted equipment allows the children to participate in the most independent way possible. Sailing develops skills such as leadership, teamwork and self-reliance that will serve campers in every setting. The goal of the program is to offer campers the opportunity to “take the helm.” For children with physical disabilities, the benefits of sailing include: increased independence, improved balance and the promotion of physical fitness, better communication skills and a sense of accomplishment. Riding a bike is a childhood rite of passage and a milestone which can be hard for those with disabilities to reach. However, most children can do it with support and practice. Adaptive bicycles are designed to accommodate the needs of individuals with disabilities. Such bicycles can be further customized and adjusted to the exact specifications and unique requirements of the rider. Learning to ride a bike builds physical strength, fine-tunes motor skills and physical coordination and improves balance. Campers spend time in our Arts and Crafts Workshop where activities include visual arts such as painting, drawing, sculpture and photography. Campers use adapted tools in the arts studio such as paint brushes, pencils and pens with handles, easels that can be attached to a wheelchair or placed on a table; non-spill containers, and tools designed for placement on the head. Dance is modified to suit the campers’ abilities. Counselors push campers in wheelchairs while they make their moves or campers propel themselves. The art of dance gives campers an opportunity to build strength and develop flexibility, creativity, and range of motion. Drama offers our campers an exciting way to express themselves. Campers have the chance to help with set designs, costumes, and writing scripts. We create a daytime disco in which campers have fun in a place where the music is “loud and theirs”. Counselors create a dance hall atmosphere and campers have fun dancing with friends, being silly and being free in an environment that is comfortable and safe. Musical instruments such as keyboards, drum pads and guitars are offered. There is a well-equipped computer center where the children have access to computers and our popular iPad program. For those unable to use standard keyboards, there are onscreen computer keyboards. Gardening has long been regarded as a therapeutic activity, and research has shown that handling different plants and flowers has beneficial effects on both physical and mental health. The pleasure of creating a raised garden fosters self-confidence by successfully reaching set goals. As an added bonus, campers can enjoy the food and flowers they have grown. It is also a chance to learn about the outdoor environment in a safe and pleasant atmosphere and to develop a love of nature. SFAH offers a transportation program to bring campers to and from New York City. With our fleet of wheelchair vans, we also offer a wide variety of off-site field trips including ocean beaches, sporting events, museums, concerts, carnivals, zoos, aquariums, farms, theater and more. No child is denied an opportunity to be a camper because of their inability to pay. SFAH provides over $250,000 in financial aid rewards to approximately 100 of the neediest children every summer. Financial aid is available for all levels of need, from minimal need to 100% of camp fees. Typically, 75% of campers require some amount of financial aid to attend our program. The Southampton Fresh Air Home continually evaluates and quantifies the effectiveness of its programs for physically challenged youth via the Long-Range Planning Committee. The Long-Range Planning Committee formulates the Home’s strategic planning goals and reports on the implementation of these goals. The committee develops future programs and analyzes their operating and capital needs. These programs include: summer, off-season, alumni, camper family, and off- campus activities. It reviews proposed new programs presented by the staff, and makes recommendations to the Board and the staff about the future and the growth of the organization. The Long-Range Planning Committee oversees planning and decisions regarding the buildings, facilities and the usage of the camp. The committee sets important benchmarks to determine the reach, success and sustainability of the Home’s programs. The committee evaluates the effectiveness of programming by presenting quarterly reports to the Board on the number of programs offered, the number of campers served, and the impact and accomplishments of each program. The committee meets annually with key stakeholders to discuss the effectiveness of the Home’s programs. The information gathered during this meeting is shared with the Board in a written, formal report allowing the Board to focus on and expand the most effective programs and set new goals for future programs. SFAH’s integrative approach to life-long learning enlists the talents of a dedicated team. There are five full-time staff members (executive director, camp director, assistant camp director, administrative associate and facility manager) and 65-part-time members during the summer months (program staff, nurses and support staff) and over 100 volunteers who regularly work with the staff. The counselors receive extensive on-site training, and most study in related fields and work with children with disabilities throughout the year. The senior professional staff has worked with this population for over 50 years combines and provides expert care for all children who come to the Home. A dedicated Board of Directors governs SFAH. There are 32 voting members and 8 honorary members. All voting Board Members are fully involved with the governance, goals, and fundraising activities of the camp.